On Changing Tides
by Lord Genesis Shadow
Summary: Luna started a journey to discover herself, and though she did find the path that she believes she must follow, she didn't get to where she was easily. She had to go through a lot. She's a pirate, with a, unique power. Rated T for drinking and violence.
1. A Rough Start

**Greetings, some of you may know me, some of you may not, and some of you are here because you definitely know me and saw that I have posted this. Regardless of why you are here, you are, in fact, here. How many of you are reading this, I honestly don't know, but regardless, thank you for reading this story.**

**Now that I've said that, I have another set of thanks to give. TomA62975 and nightshadowdark, thank you for looking this chapter over. I'm much more confident to post when the chapter has had someone to make sure I didn't make too many mistakes.**

**That said, those of you that know me should realize that I typically have Mariokutai-Reincarnated and Chaotyx to thank for looking over my work, but I wasn't sure if Mariokutai would like it and I can't remember if I asked Chaotyx yet, though two betas are enough, and asking for the help of three or four may be overkill for spellchecking or making sure everything is good.**

**I would greatly appreciate it if you all reviewed so I can know if this story is worth keeping on or not. If the reader number feels like this is unappreciated, I will more than likely take this down, so it is best to know early on so I don't waste a great deal of effort on a dozen chapters, but reviews will suffice if I know at least a few people really like it.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I, along with Tom and nightshadowdark, do not own the rights to One Piece. I am not making a profit off of this, nor do I seek to make any money at all. I just write to pass the time, and I share it because I think people will like it. Thank you, have a nice day, and as always, watch out for Sea Kings.  
>…<strong>

I stared out to the sea, just thinking about my family and how I had nearly been disowned. It started with my father, saying I was soon to marry the son of a count. The boy was three years younger than me, and about a fifth as mature. He wanted to marry me right away, and my father wanted the same, to get me married so he could get the dowry and move up in the world.

I left home, partly because I didn't want to marry that stupid rich kid, but mostly because I wanted to travel the world. Mom took it pretty hard, and for three days I prepared to leave while my dad constantly made comments about how foolish I was being, how stupid I was, and how I was making the biggest mistake of my life while mom just, cried.

I sighed quietly as I continued watching the waves, glad I had been able to leave as I had. The ship just wasn't easy to get to. I had a shouting match with my father a week ago on the day I left, and when I was getting ready to board he just, walked out of the crowd toward me. I was ready to scream at him, but he didn't get mad. He just told me that if I ever wanted to come home, for mom's sake, I could. We talked only for a few minutes, but in the end I was able to leave without worrying, telling him that I loved him, and for him to tell mom I love her. I sighed quietly as I started really missing them.

"Hey, don't fall over the edge now." A familiar voice said. I quickly moved back and turned as the captain walked past. He laughed quietly as I put my hand to my chest.

"Don't sneak up on me like that." I said quickly. "I've already had enough surprises from my family." He laughed quietly as he walked past me toward his cabin. I sighed and walked down the rail toward the galley. It was close to lunch anyway, and I really wanted to get something in my stomach soon. As I walked down the hall I inhaled. There was a lot of good food being made. It wasn't a five star cruise, but there was good food, for the price of the ticket. 'Man, this smells good.' I walked down the hall a little more until I got to the dining room and saw that it was nearly empty. As I approached the buffet, I heard a laugh.

"Ah, this is the life." One man's voice said. I tried to ignore the man and grabbed a plate and started moving down to find something I wanted, when an unwelcome hand suddenly swatted my butt. I jumped and turned to him.

"Hey!" I said sternly. "Save it for someone else!" He laughed as I went back to the buffet, but he grabbed my butt again and I turned to him. "Cut it out!" He smirked and I saw that he was drunk, and I suddenly felt another hand trying to grab me, so I turned and punched the offender in the stomach, knocking him down to the floor. I turned again and punched the other one in the face as he started to adopt an angered expression. "Get out of here before I get serious." I heard the one behind me and I turned slightly and elbowed him in the nose, knocking him back again as some sailors came in. The first one grabbed me but I stomped on his foot and he let go before he was pulled away. The other started getting up but was met with a cutlass held to the neck.

"Cool it." The sailor said warningly. "Get up." I sighed and felt my appetite dying down. Fighting did that to me most of the time, and I fought a lot through my school years. It reminded me of when I was a little kid, when I kept getting into pointless fights.

I put the plate down and walked out as the sailors spoke to the other people, and I made it into my room without incident. Locking the door, I sighed as I went over to the bed, but I turned and saw myself in the mirror. I looked myself over for a minute.

I looked at my outfit in particular. A loose short sleeved green shirt, untucked, a pair of faded loose fitting blue jeans, and a pair of sneakers. I couldn't see why they wanted me. My face was rather plain looking, and my short brown hair almost made me look like a boy. My flat chest didn't help much with that. With that small thought, I moved closer to the mirror and looked at my face intently. My eyes were just, chocolate brown. There was nothing special about me, but still they were after me.

Shaking my head, I walked over to my bed and flopped down on it, crawling until my head was on the pillows, and I groaned quietly before closing my eyes. After the past few days, I was just tired and needed as much rest as I could get. Dad trying to disown me, mom fearing that he would, then finally being forgiven and told I always had a home. Now, a couple of guys deciding I'm worth a quick rape or something. I don't know why, but I always seemed to attract freaks or perverts.

'Why didn't I just stay home?' I thought pitifully. 'Maybe a wagon to another part of the island, but no, I had to want to travel to West Blue. What was I thinking?' I sighed as I rolled and pulled myself into the blanket, effectively wrapping myself up. It was early, but it had been a long day for me.  
>…<p>

I woke to a thunderous crash from somewhere outside. I slightly got up and promptly found myself more wrapped up than before. Struggling, I heard screaming for a while before I managed to free one arm, but by then someone was hitting my door.

"Whoever is inside, open up!" A man yelled. The door came free and I gasped at the size of the pirate. Having just been forced awake, I didn't know what was going on. He laughed and walked over. "Come on boy, let's go." He picked me up as I struggled, but I eventually gave up and forced my voice to deepen a little.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked. He shifted and I saw him pick up my luggage, so I started moving. "Hey, what are you doing?" I shifted and he moved so that I was held over his shoulder easily. "Hey!"

"What?" He asked smugly. "Can't handle being a hostage? I could kill you right now." I glared at him and he laughed as he walked out. I saw the rest of the ship's crew being tied up, but I was more worried about my luggage. It had everything I owned in it, and my personal treasures, along with everything that showed my gender. If they all thought I was a boy, maybe I could avoid the unsavory thought of what they _could_ do to me. "Cap'n, got a present for you." I shifted and saw a man in a long gray coat with a black tricorne hat, the traditional pirate captain hat. He turned, showing off long curly black hair, a thin mustache that was curled at the tips, and a long and thin goatee. He looked confident, with a white ruffled shirt, black pants and a pair of black shoes with long white socks. He had a sword at his side, a simple fencing sword. What caught my eye the most was the fact that his right hand had a glove, but the left didn't. I quickly spotted that glove though, held in his shirt pocket. "I believe you asked me to find a suitable cabin boy?"

"Yes, Mr. Trevor, thank you." He said. He had a calm and light voice, and he looked at me as I moved my arm up and glared at the man holding me. "What a thoughtful gift. I'm sure he'll fit right in." He nodded his head and I struggled. "Wait, he wants to say something."

"You'll regret this." I said. He laughed.

"Perhaps." He said. "But I'll enjoy having you clean the ship while we have you. Mr. Trevor, if you will." He was so casual about what he was doing, but 'Trevor' just walked over to the boarding plank. "Now, when we are finished, you will be untied enough to get loose, and you will go about your merry way, sans my new cabin boy." I moved again and put my hand on Trevor's head, making him laugh.

"Keep playin' kid." He said. "This is happening, like it or not. And don't lose your blankie, 'cause it's all you get, apart from your luggage." I lowered my body and sighed. He lowered me near the mast as other pirates walked by, so I looked up and saw their Jolly Roger. It was normal, at a first glance. But I soon noticed that the skull had the mustache and goatee. "We're nothin' special, but we get around. They call us the Sea Devil Pirates. And now, you're a Sea Devil too." He suddenly put something on my head and I looked up at him as he held my head still. When he was done he laughed. "There. Proper bandanna. Keep it close. You'll only get one if you can't go after it." I lowered my head and reached up, but I didn't remove it. It would work, kind of.

"Why me?" I asked, still in my 'boy' voice.

"Captain wanted a cabin boy." He said. "What better way than getting a kid like you on a cruise. You'll fit right in, if you get into it right now. You're with us now kiddo." I moved the blanket and tried to get out of it and he laughed. "You'll be sleeping in the cargo hold for the first few days until we get around to putting in a bunk. You'll be getting up early, and what Captain Ben says, you do." I nodded as I got up, and he shoved the trunk into my arms. I stumbled as he put the blanket over it, folding it quickly. "Now, get down to the hold. If you're hungry, whatever's in the barrels is yours for now." He pushed me and I nearly fell as I made my way toward a downward staircase.

'I should have stayed home.' I thought. I looked down the stairs before I slowly started my descent, looking around the large trunk. 'Stupid luggage.' After a minute I made it to the bottom, and I looked around to see that there was a lot of dirt and grime. 'Why me?' The only thing that kept me from arguing was the thought that they'd kill me. As I walked, my stomach grumbled quietly and I set my chest down in a small and fairly clean area. As I moved the blanket I stopped and sighed before looking around. 'Well, whatever I want from a barrel.' I walked over to one and looked at it before opening it carefully. It was full of water so I closed it again and went to the next one. It was also a water barrel, so I went across the hold as I heard movement above. I opened a barrel and saw a strange fruit sitting on top of a pile of sugar. It was dark, but not black. More like, really dark red that shifted to blackish red wherever I wasn't directly focused, but as I stared it seemed green for a few moments, and it was just like the red, blackish where I wasn't looking but dark where I was. I stared for a few moments as it went from green to blue to gold, and I slowly reached in and turned it. It was, smooth at first, but then kind of rough, and then fuzzy. It was changing every few seconds. It was heavy one second and light as a feather the next. 'What kind of fruit is this?' I stared at it and it felt like it was growing. It was roughly the size of a cantaloupe, and oddly lighter for a moment. 'I must be starving. I'm just imagining this, freaky fruit. It's soft enough right now though, I hope.' I put the lid down and took a bite, and somehow I should have expected the exact thing that surprised me. The first bite tasted fantastic, the best thing I've ever had in my life. But, the second bite was amazingly less so. It started out with a perfect mix of sweet and sour, a little salty, and just a little savory. The second bite was more than twice as sour, a lot less sweet, and the other tastes were gone. I looked at it for a second before seeing the inside colors shifting just like the outside. I waited before taking another bite, and it was like grape flavored cotton candy. I ate it slowly, waiting for specific colors, like purple and red. After finishing the strange fruit I licked my lips and looked for another, but there wasn't much else in the barrel. Somewhat unsurprisingly, it was a barrel full of sugar. I put the lid on and sighed as my stomach made an odd sound. Not hungry, not sick, but definitely not a sound I recognized. 'Oh man, I hope that means I'm full.' I heard footsteps and I walked over to another barrel and opened it.

"I'm glad you're settling in." The captain said. I looked into the barrel and saw more sugar, but not another of the strange fruit. "The food barrels are next to the water." I lowered the lid onto the barrel and he laughed. "Don't be mad. You've been given a good opportunity. You're currently just cleaning your new room, but soon you'll be my personal cabin boy." I turned to him and looked up. "Speak your mind."

"I'm not a cabin_ boy_." I said in my normal voice. He seemed surprised.

"I see." He said. "Well, all the more reason for you to make yourself useful. We've been at sea for a very long time, and if the others realize this…" I felt the color drain from my face. "Yes, you know just what they might do. I won't, because you are just a young girl, and I'm not that kind of pirate. Just pretend you're a boy, and I'll keep your secret."

"Wh-what's the catch?" I asked quietly.

"That you stop opening the sugar barrels." He said. "The cook doesn't want any chance of the sea air making the sugar stick together in clumps." I nodded. "Once you're set up, start cleaning. I'll have Mr. Trevor bring down a mop and pail, some rags, and perhaps a small knife. No one stays on this ship without some form of defense. I treat my crew like family." I nodded again as he turned. "One thing to remember." He turned his head. "We may be Sea Devils, but we're honorable pirates. Only the Marines or fools who attack us feel the wrath of our cannons." He started walking when he stopped. "What's your name?"

"Luna D. Veluria." I said calmly. He looked over at me for a moment.

"What's the D for?" He asked. I was silent for a moment before shrugging.

"I don't know." I said. "My father thought it was a fitting initial, but I don't think there's a name behind it anywhere that I know."

"Well, be that as it may, you're just Lad for now." He said. "Anyone says Lad, you look at 'em." I nodded as he walked out.  
>…<p>

I walked past the barrels and opened one. Three days had passed since I became 'Lad', and I still didn't have my own bed, or even a hammock. What I did have was a painful headache from the previous night. One of the men, a tall skinny guy named Terrance, gave me a drink, and since I didn't know what was in the tankard he gave me, I found out the hard way that rum is surprisingly good. Three tankards later, I wound up on my bed thanks to Captain Ben.

I pulled an orange out of the barrel, then two more, and closed the lid before sitting down and peeling them. I hadn't felt good all of yesterday, and my skin felt strange, like I was standing in the middle of a fire, but it was just far enough that my skin felt warm, not burning. As I peeled the orange I heard footsteps, and Captain Ben walked into the hold with a couple glasses of water. He walked in time with the rocking of the ship, never letting the water spill.

"Morning." He said, causing me to wince. I peeled more of the orange and set it down on a barrel next to me, and he set the first glass near me. "You're lucky. You were close to blowing your cover." He sat down across from me as I set two of the oranges down, pulling a wedge free and offering him the other side.

"Please stop yelling." I said quietly. He chuckled quietly before taking a wedge for himself. As I ate my piece he just watched. "Are we moving?"

"We're becalmed." He said. "The wind has died down considerably, so we're just enjoying the quiet while it lasts. There is a ship scheduled to be by this area in about three days. We'll wait, take what they've got, and then we're going to go to port, specifically a secret haven for pirates known as Tougarest. It should be a good place to get some proper clothes to hide any of your remaining feminine features." I slowly ate another piece of the orange.

"Don't let me drink like that again." I said quietly. "One, and that's it." He nodded as I set the orange down and grabbed the water, quickly downing the entire glass.

"Also, while I'm here, there is talk among the crew about something strange." He said. I looked at him. "Apparently, the manifest of the ship we took last, was carrying something in one of the sugar barrels. Something, strange. It was labeled as 'classified'. It was a fake merchant ship, and apparently it was a Marines vessel." I nodded as I went back to the orange. "From what I can tell, we're going to catch some fire from that. That's also why we're going to Tougarest. They won't come after us there. We're allied with some others, or, we're in talks for an alliance." He reached behind him and pulled out a bar of chocolate and broke it in half, opening the package and setting the wrapped half on the barrel. "Have you looked in more than the one sugar barrel? I'd like to know if you might have seen something, strange. A weapon, a book, documents?" I shook my head. "For all I know, it could have been a Devil's Fruit hidden in the bottom." I thought for a moment about the strange fruit I had eaten. The thought that it could have been Cursed crossed my mind rapidly. "Well, whatever it was, we'll find it sooner or later. No point in digging through it all right now." I nodded slowly. "I'll go back up. Enjoy the chocolate. It's Dutch Gourmet." He got up and walked away as I ate the last of the orange.

'Devil's, Fruit.' I thought slowly. 'It makes, sense.' I swallowed the orange and imagined the strange fruit. 'It'd have to be Cursed to, change that much. But what did it do to me?' Another thought quickly crossed my mind. 'If it really was, I'm like a hammer now.' I lowered my head and slowly reached out to the chocolate and picked it up. 'I can't swim now. I can never swim again.' I slowly took a bite and I looked at it. It was several small bricks, filled with, caramel. 'Carmel in chocolate? Wow…' I slowly ate it as I thought quickly about my future. I couldn't swim, and I was on a pirate ship. The odds I would end up going into the water was fairly likely, especially around Marines ships. I sighed heavily as I reached for my trunk and I looked to the door as I pulled out my personal treasure. I pulled it to my chest and looked at it. A small stuffed bear my mother had given me, and I had patched it more times than I ever meant to. It wasn't a special one, but I always carried it with me. "Mom… I'm, a Cursed Pirate now… Dad was right. I should have stayed home."


	2. Getting Settled In

**I'm updating today because I'm not entirely certain I'll be in any mood to do so tomorrow, but don't worry about it, it's nothing major. If I do feel up to it, I might post another chapter. It's probably a 70/30 chance that I won't though, so, don't get your hopes up too high.**

**That said, I've had five readers in four days, so I'm hoping this story will pick up with the addition of this chapter. It starts off a little slow, but I promise it will pick up. I may accept OC characters later, but know that they won't start showing up until around or after the ninth chapter or so.**

**Thanks go to TomA62975 and nightshadowdark for checking this chapter for me. I highly recommend their work to all of you that read this. Hopefully it'll pick up soon so that they get more than five people. After this, maybe I'll have ten more readers in the next four days so they can have that many more.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to One Piece. TomA62975 and nightshadowdark do not own the rights either, so far as I'm aware. Thank you for reading, and remember, I appreciate reviews. Let me know if I've made a mistake, if you like it, if you want to lend me a character, I appreciate nearly all forms of review apart from flames, but who pays attention to flames?  
>…<strong>

I sighed as I scrubbed the deck. I had some other scrubbers on my knees and one on each hand. It wasn't an easy job, but I was getting used to it. My sole reason for working so hard came from the words of the captain. If I worked hard, I could go free if we ever came to port near my home. Apart from that, I was still somewhat worried about the fact that I couldn't swim, and I loved to swim before I realized my fate as a Cursed Girl.

I worked at a particularly tough spot, a tar stain, and a brass tankard was set next to me. I looked at it and smelled a very familiar dark liquid. Looking up, it was the cook, Mr. Bar. The irony that he was serving me a drink was well noted.

"Drink up Lad." He said. "We're working through the sugar now. We'll find what was hidden, if there was something at all." I moved my hand from the brush and sighed.

"One drink." I said. "More than that and I'll get yelled at, with a hangover." He laughed as I grabbed the tankard and got into a kneeling position. "Cheers." He clanked a second tankard against mine and I drank calmly from it, and found that it had a clear glass bottom. 'Cool.' I did enjoy the taste, and everyone drank every night. I had one per night since at least one was offered. More than that would make me sick the next morning. After draining a third of it I set it down as he laughed. "Thanks Mr. Bar." He patted my back and walked away toward the galley. I went back to scrubbing as I thought. 'It's been ten days. When is that stupid merchant ship coming?' We had moved behind a small group of rocks to hide, so we'd be able to ambush them. It was a good idea, and I had to admit that I was excited at the prospect of actually taking part in the raiding of their treasure. The apparent information that Captain Ben had was that this one was carrying a lot of money, a military payroll. That was good news. 'Can't wait to see what I get out of this. If I get enough, maybe I can move back home someday.' As I moved forward, I pushed my rum forward slowly. I was way too young to be drinking, but if it meant they treated me kindly, I figured it would work in my favor, somehow. After all, I was technically kidnapped, enslaved, and cursed to be a 'hammer' for the rest of my life. I sighed and got up and drank the rest of the rum before I got back to work.

"Lad, got a question." An unfamiliar voice said. I looked to my right to see a very thin man with a knife, and he was cleaning under his fingernails with it. "Captain Ben knows your name, or so I think." I nodded as I went back to scrubbing, using all four brushes slowly. "Mind telling me?"

"No real reason to care." I said. How they hadn't found me out was beyond me, but I guess the captain was a man of his word. "I'm not here by choice, though, I'm growing used to the thought of being a pirate, even if I only ever make it to being a cabin boy." I moved forward a little making sure I did my best. If you're in a bad situation, better not to make things worse, or so it was my belief.

"Curiosity." He said. "Why don't you want to be more than a Lad?"

"Because Lad is a decent name." I replied calmly. I brushed and he began walking. "If I wanted a better name, I'd try to make one. We'll see how I can help with the other ship."

"Captain Ben will be watching." He said. "You're staying with us." I nodded.

"It'll be cheaper." I said. "One day, if we make it to my home island, I'll be able to leave this life behind me if I want to. Until then, I'm Lad, the cabin boy of the Sea Devil Pirates." I got up and wanted to wipe my forehead, but I didn't want to look weak. I simply grabbed the tankard and finished off the absolute last of it before looking at him and lobbing it. He caught it and I went back to work. "Mr. Bar will appreciate you getting that back to him." I moved forward as I scrubbed calmly. Without warning I found him holding the back of my neck and I groaned in mild pain.

"I don't care for kids." He said. "You're probably fifteen, but I don't care. You were brought on for the purpose of cleaning this ship, not to be a pirate. Get that idea out of your head. You could never be a pirate, no matter what you do." I looked at his boot as he slightly increased his grip. "Now, what is your name?"

"Lad." I said quietly. "That's what Captain Ben calls me, so that's my name." He gripped a little more before letting go and walking away. I just went back to scrubbing before I moved to the side like a crab to scrub the drop of spilled rum. "Jerk. Making my job…" I looked up and sighed. There was a puddle of rum on the deck. "Come on, really?" I scrubbed forward until I started entering the puddle, but I was surprised to see a bucket of water and, Captain Ben with a mop. He worked on most of the puddle while I scrubbed my area.

"Did Mr. Trace bother you?" He asked casually.

"Grabbed my neck, tried to get my name." I said quietly. "Spilled rum on the deck near me."

"Sorry about this one." He said. "Mr. Trevor tripped over his way down, and decided you could handle this actually." I laughed as I scrubbed my way in a circle before getting up and cleaning my hand brushes. I removed and cleaned the knee brushes before putting them back on and returning to my task. "You're getting used to this."

"I may as well do what I'm told." I said. "After all, if I make trouble, I'm a prisoner. If I help, I get to be treated better." He laughed as I moved to my side a little and he sat on a step. He still had his attire, and I couldn't stop my curiosity. "Why are we the Sea Devils? I'm sure there's a reason."

"My beard." He said, stroking his beard. "And my mustache. People say I look like what they believe the Devil looks like, so, the Sea Devil Pirates since we're out here." I nodded as I scrubbed my way around the spill. "Good thing we caught this one in time. That could have been a nasty stain." I nodded again. "How old are you, exactly? Mr. Trace thinks that you're fifteen. I personally think, fourteen." I shook my head.

"Thirteen." I said. "I'm a little big for my age." He laughed again as I sighed. "Am I the only one who gets to care why the ship is so filthy?"

"Think of it as a rite of passage." He said. "You get to take care of what no one else thinks they can." I smirked a little. "By the way, we're through a whole barrel of sugar. I thought for sure the manifest said that the one I was using was the one that had the mentioned secret cargo item. I guess they weren't paying attention." I nodded as he tapped his boot. "I'm really impatient with this. It's like a treasure hunt that will take days to finish." He laughed. "I feel like a kid again." I laughed quietly.

"And the others?" I asked.

"Well, most of us feel the same." He said. "Mr. Trace isn't happy, Mr. Bar hopes he doesn't damage the item, and Mr. Trevor just wants to start eating as much sugar as possible. The man has a sweet tooth as big as a house, I swear." I laughed a little louder when a whistle was heard. I looked to see him looking up at the crow's nest.

"Captain, the ship is coming by!" The man called. I got up and he helped me to my feet.

"Prepare your knife Lad." He said cheerily. "You're right by me when we board the ship." I nodded as I went to the hold and rapidly went down the steps.

I searched through my belongings and found the knife and quickly put it up my sleeve. I didn't like putting it on my belt, so it waited for me up my left sleeve. I could reach in and draw it silently, so I could defend myself if cornered by acting like I was scratching my arm. After closing the trunk I looked at it before locking it. As I went up the stairs again I saw that we were coming alongside the ship already. I got up onto the deck as they lowered their flag in surrender.

"Good move." Mr. Trevor said. "That means we'll get everything easily." I walked over and he held out a cutlass. "Give this to the captain. He may need it." I nodded and took it as I walked up to the captain. He held out his hand and I gave him the sword.

"Thanks Lad." He said. "Today should be alright. Grab what you can. Just take what you want. No one can stop you." I nodded as we got closer. "Ready the boarding planks."  
>…<p>

I grabbed the bags of coins with a smile before I grabbed a small jewelry case. I knew it was wrong, but I had to make sure I followed orders. There wasn't much I could do, but I was at least going to recover the cost of my ticket to the other ship, and maybe get enough to help my family when I could get back.

"Is this seriously the Marine's payroll?" Mr. Trace asked. "It looks, too varied. It should just be money, not jewels."

"Perhaps they're doing work on the side." Captain Ben said. I picked up a dagger and looked it over. "Or maybe it could be confiscated from other pirates. Who can say?" I heard him grab something and he laughed. "This should do nicely." I looked to see him holding another sword. "Very well made." I turned back to my work as I picked up a large bag and began putting coins in it. "Mr. Trevor, how are our 'friends'?"

"They're being quiet." He said. "But I'm somewhat concerned. Mr. Trace is right. This doesn't seem like a Marines payroll ship. There was no escort, or even a sign of one. It's, odd." I thought about it as my skin started getting warm again. Whatever power that fruit gave me, I had to wait. From what I knew, it could take up to a month to manifest, though some did in days or even minutes. With the one I'd eaten, it was anyone's guess. "Lad, how are you doing so far?"

"I'm doing alright so far." I said. "Probably ten or fifteen thousand Beri, but who cares about counting it now?" He laughed as I shoveled more of the coins in with a smile. Really, I hated the thought of stealing from people, but when had the Marines ever helped me? They actually tended to be kind of cruel, often yelling at me when I was out late, and one even hit me. Stealing their money made me no madder than if I had taken the money of a murderer. It was fair game to me as I saw it. "Thanks Captain. I really think this is better than being, just a civilian." He laughed more as he walked out of the room.

"Don't leave anything." He called. "This is our treasure now."

After a few minutes of digging through for rarer things, I found a really nice necklace with a sparkling rainbow stone in the shape of a butterfly. I put it away in my pocket, intending to wear it later, when I could lose my 'disguise'. After a while I had all I could carry, and I barely managed that much. I walked out of the hold with the others and I looked to see that we had cleaned up every single coin, and the one thing we didn't take was a really ugly picture with a wooden frame.

"Lad, I see you've got a good haul." Mr. Trace said. "Care to share your earnings?"

"If I find something I think you'll like, I'll let you have it." I said, groaning as I walked past him. The bag was heavy, but it was literally worth its weight in gold. As I made my way across the boarding plank I nearly lost my balance, and I froze a little before walking again. 'That was close. Next time, I'll be a lot more careful, I promise.' I made my way to the hold and smiled as I lowered the bag to the ground and opened it as I sat on my bed. I heard footsteps but I just grinned as I looked over the spoils. 'Wow, this is at least fifty thousand Beri. I'm practically rich! Piratically rich!' I looked up and saw the captain with a slip of paper and a curious expression. As he walked up I stopped grinning and he sat down where he had a week earlier. "Captain, is something wrong?"

"Kind of." He said. "I just found this letter, stating information about the other ship we robbed before we went to yours. It says just what the other one said." He held it out and I slowly took it, looking it over until he pointed to a specific line. "That's the barrel we searched. If they were that thorough, it's true. More than that, I now know what was in it." I nodded slowly. "There was a Devil Fruit in _that_ specific barrel of sugar, and it says it'd be on top. Did you see it?" I wanted to shake my head but I couldn't. I looked at him and nodded slowly. "What did you do with it?" His tone was serious, but, something about it was forgiving.

"I ate it." I said normally. He lowered his hand. "I was hungry. I was told I could eat whatever was in any barrel, so, I ate the first piece of food I found. It, was a large fruit, and, I just, ate it." He sighed and took the paper before pocketing it.

"Well, no use crying over spilt rum." He said. "You ate it, there's nothing we can do about it now. And we don't know what it did to you either. Whatever you can do, it's your job to figure it out." I nodded as he laughed, but I was very surprised he wasn't mad. "Still, impressive haul." I smiled and nodded. "You've got at least enough to buy a decent house and have enough left over to buy some furniture for it. Good work Lad." He patted my shoulder before walking away. "I'll be by later after I take a look at everyone else's pickings." I grinned as I reached into the bag and pulled out a small crucifix, but it had a mark, so I pulled a little on it with my other hand and it came apart, revealing a really small blade.

"Huh, cool." I said quietly. "I can use that for something." I put the blade back with a quiet click and put it around my neck, moving it under my shirt and my bandanna came loose. It was red, really showing against my short hair. I fixed it before going back to my spoils with a steadily growing smile.  
>…<p>

I slowly climbed the rigging, having been told to take over the crow's nest for a while. I finally reached the top and took my new place, and I immediately got an idea of how dangerous it was for me just to be on a ship now.

'Oh, this is high up, _and_ I'm still on a ship.' I thought. 'Man, any possible minute I could end up drowning.' I laughed quietly. 'That's, actually kind of cool. Risky, but it's entirely worth it.' I leaned forward and smiled as I looked out ahead of us for a while before I heard something creaking. I recognized it as rope, so I looked back and over the edge to see Captain Ben climbing up with a couple of canteens tied over his shoulder. I moved back as he finished climbing and I saluted. "Captain." He laughed as we sat down.

"The guys are planning on leaving you up here for a while longer than you thought." He said. "I guess that means you're officially part of the crew. They did this to Mr. Trevor a few months ago, and Mr. Trace the month after that." He untied the canteens and offered me one, which I took and opened. "So, do you think you can handle the crow's nest for a few hours?"

"No problem." I said. I turned and looked out to the sea and smiled at the sight of the setting sun.

"Well, if you see any other ships, just whistle and call it out." He said. "We'll be going ashore on Tougarest in about three days if the wind stays with us." I heard him set the other canteen down. "There's something extra in this one, but drink it slow." I looked back as he swung his leg over the edge and I nodded. "And don't fall off. I'm still not telling the others about your mistake, but it would be kind of difficult if we had to tell everyone you can't swim. They'd try to teach you at every turn, and if you denied them, they'd never leave you alone. But I'll see you later Lad." I nodded.

"Thanks Captain." I said. He went down the rigging and I looked around as I opened the first canteen, and I took a short drink of the water within. There was little I could see apart from the ocean, but it was still a very beautiful day. Leaning over the edge, I sighed with my smile. Truly, I smiled a lot. It was something I did regularly. If I wasn't smiling, I was either fighting, angry, or having a nightmare. According to my mother, I smile in my sleep normally, and I always have even since I was a baby. 'This is turning into a great journey.' I looked around for a few minutes and spotted a speck on the horizon. I grabbed the telescope and set the canteen down. 'What is that?' I looked through the scope and looked at the speck. I could barely see it, and it looked like a ship. After a moment I looked over the edge and saw the captain, so I whistled at him. "Captain, ship on the horizon!" He looked up at me.

"How far?" He called. I looked through the telescope and gauged the distance carefully.

"Sixteen miles." I called. "Give or take."

"Can you tell which way they're heading?" He called.

"They're probably…" I started. I saw a glint, another telescope most likely. "They're watching us. I expect they'll come after us. They're either Marines or other pirates." I lowered the scope.

"We'll keep an eye out." He called. "If they're after us, we've got roughly ten hours before they intercept us. We'll try to broadside them, but for now, we'll get ready. In an hour I'll have Mr. Trevor relieve you. Keep an eye on the other ship for now." I saluted as he went back to walking, and I looked up at the other ship. They probably saw me looking, or the glint of light off of the telescope I was using.

'If this leads to a fight, I might need more than a knife.' I thought. Slowly I reached up to the tiny knife in my crucifix. 'This won't be much to work with.' As I lowered my hand, I reached over to the canteen of water and opened it, but as I went to drink I stopped and looked down into it for a few seconds. 'If I do get into a fight, what could happen if I go overboard? I could be thrown over, or stumble if I was hit hard enough and fall over, or I could even just take a bad step at the wrong time of a wave and end up taking a dive. Fighting out at sea was dangerous, but that thought only made me smile wider than usual. 'This is going to be fun. In ten hours, give or take, I'll be a real pirate.' I sat down and drank from the canteen. As I lowered it, I looked at the other canteen and secured it to my waist. It was a desert canteen, dark, round with a small round mouth, probably hardened leather. "This should be fun."


	3. Losing Nearly Everything

**I guess thirty percent bested seventy today. Really though, don't ask me to do this every week, because this is one of those rare two post weeks. Mostly, I just felt like doing something after getting back from something.**

**This chapter brings in a lot of action, as you'll notice very early on. This chapter introduces some of Luna's untapped skills, and some small character and plot development.**

**Thanks go to TomA62975 and nightshadowdark for checking the chapter over. Thanks also go to all those who have read this, and more thanks to the reviewers.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, and my friends TomA62975 and nightshadowdark, do not own the rights to One Piece. If we did… I don't think we could have made it as good as it is. Have a nice day.  
>…<strong>

A loud bang caught my attention and I promptly jumped up and fell off of my crates and landed on my side, but I got up quickly and I heard footsteps above me all over.

"Go get the lad and, give him a sword." Captain Ben's voice said quickly. "Hurry!" I walked over to the door and opened it, and Mr. Bar was coming down with a cutlass in one hand and a black powder pistol in the other.

"Here Lad." He said quickly, holding the sword out to me. I took it and he nodded before running back up the steps. I followed him and as I reached the top he fired and hit a Marine in the shoulder. "If you think you're taking my galley, you've got another thing coming!" He threw down the pistol and pulled a cleaver from his belt before running toward the Marine he had shot.

I turned quickly and raised the cutlass sideways, blocking a sword. I kicked at the leg of my attacker and he fell down. I went to swing but froze for a second as he looked up, so I hit him in the head with the grip. He fell to the side and I thought for a moment before grabbing his sword, a saber. I stepped back, hoping I could use both swords at once. I looked to see another running at me, and I stepped back to avoid him. I was always a good fighter, and I never had to try all that hard.

Somehow I could tell what people would try to do when they fought me, even if I didn't know they were fighting at first. It was like an image appeared in my head and I knew right where they were going to try to hit me, how they would do it, and a good way to strike back. However it worked, I was glad to have it.

I blocked the sword with the saber and half turned to block another Marine with the cutlass. Stepping back from where I was they ended up next to each other and I felt a familiar smile creeping up on me. I felt excited, and I only got that way during a real fight, not like the fight over a fortnight ago on the other ship. Those fights killed my appetite, but this, I'd be hungry if we won. If not, and I lived, I guess I'd still be hungry after a 'nap'.

"Wait, this is just a kid." One said. "We can't…"

"We've got orders." He said. "We can't disobey, or, you know what happens." They looked at me as I readied the swords.

"If it helps, don't think of me as a kid." I said dangerously. "Think of me, as a pirate." They stepped forward and I blocked them both before kicking the one to my right, and I punched the one to the left. Stepping past them, I turned and slashed, cutting the sword arm of one, and both legs of the other. I turned and slashed again, hitting a third at the wrist and one leg of the one I'd hurt before. Part of me forced me to avoid anything that seemed too dangerous, but another kept me fighting at my best when I wasn't on the offensive. "Keep trying." I stepped back and looked around for the captain. I had to get to him. I was alright, despite having never used a sword before, but I didn't want to do anything stupid. A shiver ran down my arm and I jumped back quickly, and narrowly avoided a bullet. I looked to see a man wearing a scarf around his face and a Marine hat, but something was familiar about him. He was as big as Mr. Trevor, but he was different, mean, and decidedly dangerous. He drew a second pistol and my arm shivered again, differently. He fired just as I raised the cutlass, and the bullet broke the blade off of the handle and I dropped the rest, shifting the saber to my other hand. "You'll have to do better than that!" I kicked up another sword from a nearby dead Marine and caught it, actually surprising myself. The images in my head were crystal clear for a moment and I spun to the right, dodging another shot as the swords slashed at the legs of two more Marines. I smiled ever wider as I held up one blade to block the scarf wearing man and swung the other, which he dodged almost effortlessly. After a few seconds of staring him down we both jumped to avoid our respected opposites. Mr. Bar rushed over and attacked the Marine that was attacking me, and a Marine knocked the Sea Devil that attacked the other one. "Mr. Bar, where's the captain?"

"He's on the mast, like in the stories!" He said excitedly. "I haven't been in a proper fight in ages! I'm having a blast!" I looked from him to see the one had started climbing the rigging lines. "I'll defend the galley; you go find that blasted Trevor! He's never around when there are Marines about!" He laughed as he ran toward the galley and I turned to run toward a cabin but I looked up at the large man.

'Could he…' I thought quietly. A body suddenly dropped and I looked up to see Captain Ben watching the man climbing up. "Captain, can you see Mr. Trevor?" He looked at me and then at the man.

"I don't!" He called. "He never runs from a fight! He's either already fallen, or he's defected!" He looked at me. "Stay down there and find Mr. Trace! I can't see him either!" I nodded before slipping away from a Marine, and I swung my blade along his shoulder, and the other along the length of his thigh. Once more part of me hoped he'd be okay, but the other just wanted me to get going. "Good moves Lad! You're doing great!" I smiled wider and started running, never going close to the edge until I saw a member of the crew getting thrown back violently. Readying my blades, I saw Mr. Trace backing out before firing a pistol at an unseen assailant before we both dodged a thrown sword.

"Mr. Trace!" I said quickly. He jumped back and I stepped slowly away from the door before ducking. A large axe cleaved through the wall and I rolled away. "Who…" A small man walked out and adjusted a pair of wireframe glasses before he pulled the axe free. "No way." He grinned before swinging down, and I jumped back.

"Good moves Lad." Mr. Trace said. I looked at him. "Trevor was never part of the crew. He's always been a Marine. They want the Devil Fruit that was hidden in a sugar barrel, but they wouldn't listen when we told them there wasn't one on board."

"Can you blame us?" The small man asked calmly. He pulled the axe from the deck and I felt my heart pumping so hard I could hear my pulse. "You are pirates. There must be a lie somewhere. I am almost certain you would not tell us the truth even under threat of death. Mr. Trevor said that there was no sign, but he believes we marked the wrong barrel."

"There is no Devil Fruit on this ship." Mr. Trace said. "We searched the barrels, and there was no sign of any fruit at all in a sugar barrel."

"Be that as it may, we must search for it." He said calmly. I tilted my head slightly. "Confused? I am not surprised. A battle going on, and yet I am so…" He swung his axe and killed several Marines and Sea Devils. "Calm. I have trained to stay focused, calm, and to keep my pulse down. It allows me to control the adrenaline in my body, so that I may sustain the effect for a longer period of time and gain a boost as I require it. So far, I do not require it."

"He's a freak of nature." Mr. Trace said. "He doesn't care who he kills with that thing. All he cares is, completing his mission. Be careful Lad. He's a monster." The man laughed.

"I am Lieutenant Perry." He said, still calmly. "And I am only to capture Misters Trace, Bar, and the captain. Others are unneeded. Perhaps, I will let this, Lad, live. Perhaps." He pulled the axe free and I jumped back with Mr. Trace quickly. My heart rate climbed as Perry grinned. I saw that his axe blade was at least six feet along the blade, with a handle about nine feet long, and he was wielding it effortlessly in one hand. On a small spike on the back of the axe, he had skewered a Sea Devil, one I recognized, on it. I growled at his callous disregard for life he showed for any and all around him. "Forms must be filled out for loss of life due to accidental slaying of friendly forces. Current count, eight Marines, fourteen pirates. Bounty collection, sixty eight thousand Beri." I went to move but Mr. Trace put his sword in front of me.

"No, he's counting on this." He said. "Don't play into his hands. Get too close, and you're lunchmeat. If you're going to stay, and I know you are, keep his buddies away from me." I looked at him. "And stop being nice about it. Throat, stomach, wherever you have to, just kill them. You'll have to learn to do it soon. As long as you're sorry for it, I'm sure God would forgive you for protecting yourself." I stared before nodding, and I stepped aside to dodge a sword, being wary about the lieutenant the whole time. As I moved, I started attacking more aggressively, slashing high and aiming for necks, and after a few minutes, I finally got one in the throat with the very tip, and he stumbled overboard. "Good swing Lad, keep going!" I looked up and saw the captain dueling with, Trevor. It had to be him. If he really was a Marine hiding among us, then it meant he was against us from before I joined the crew. "Lad, heads up for…" I dodged the axe by rolling forward, and I stabbed a Marine in the left side of his chest. I grabbed the saber of the dying man and turned, throwing it at Perry. He dodged it, so I threw the other, and it stuck in his shoulder sleeve. Grabbing the sword from the now dead man before me, I got up and moved, spinning and ducking to grab another sword, and I saw that Perry had moved. "Watch out!" I narrowly dodged the axe again, but the wind from it nearly took my bandanna. I moved quickly but Parry had moved again, and I couldn't see where he went. "He's using some kind of trick to give us the runaround. I've seen it before. It's, I remember the name, it's on the…" We both dodged another swing and heard Perry laughing in an amused tone. "Tip of my tongue."

"Rokushiki!" Captain Ben called. "The Soru form! He's too fast!" A sword hit the deck and I looked up to see him holding his hands up. "Men, surrender! We've lost this battle, thanks to Mr. Trevor's, choice." I slowly stood up as swords were dropped, one by one, and I heard Mr. Trace dropping his sword. I dropped mine and heard another laugh from the calm lieutenant.

"Smart." He said calmly. "And wise. You will be treated as is decided by our captain." I looked at him and he laughed quietly as he put the axe on his shoulder. Mr. Trace put his hand on my shoulder and held me before I was about to attack him.

"No, no, don't do it." Mr. Trace said quietly. "Stay calm. I'm sure Ben has a plan."  
>…<p>

I stood behind Mr. Trace as Captain Ben was chained. A muscled man walked onto the deck before the captain, and he was clearly of the same station, the man that the lieutenant spoke of. Most of the crew was on their ship, except for me, Mr. Trace, and Mr. Bar, and of course the captain.

"Captain, Benjamin, Smythe." The Marine captain said. "You have a decent bounty, but have had no trouble with us so far… Until you stole from a cargo ship meant for an important friend of our commander. But, I am sure you don't know my name." He had long blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and if he wasn't responsible for the deaths of so many people that I had come to like, I would have said he was handsome. True, he was, but I hated him for killing my new friends. He wore a simple white outfit like most Marines, but he had epaulets, blue ones, and he had an air of cruelty about him. "I am Captain Stone, Markus Stone. Perhaps you have heard of me." Something changed in Captain Ben's demeanor.

"Cruel, surgical, and rarely leaves survivors unless ordered otherwise." He said quietly. "But we don't have any Devil's Fruit on my ship."

"Yes, the Purgatory doesn't have it."Stone said. "We've checked the sugar barrels, and though we couldn't open the small chest, we know it's not there. One of you, has eaten it. And I know, that you're aware."

"Lad…" Mr. Trace whispered. I looked at him carefully. "You?" I nodded just enough for him to see. "Tougarest is to the northwest, three days." He slowly slipped something into my pocket. "Wish me luck, Lad."

"Who has eaten, the Henkan-Henkan no Mi?" Stone asked calmly. "Be honest, and I am to take you and your crew in alive."

"I don't know." Captain Ben said quietly. "I only realized we had it, when I read the first paper. The second, confirmed it. We went through a lot of sugar, but, I'm sure Mr. Bar probably threw it away before we noticed. It'll likely be lost at sea." Stone laughed quietly.

"You expect me to believe that?" He asked calmly. He raised his hand but Mr. Trace stepped forward.

"Wait." He said. "I know exactly who ate it." Stone looked at him as he stepped around the captain.

"Who?" He asked.

"I did." Mr. Trace replied. He moved his hand and I knew he meant for me to be quiet. He hated me, but he was taking the fall for me. I didn't understand it. "It takes time, but I'll probably show signs in a few days. I'm not sure when, but you know that it takes time."

"Mister, Carl Trace, yes?" Stone asked. "I see. You _would_ eat a Devil's Fruit. You can't swim anyway, so you must have decided the power may as well be yours, correct?" Mr. Trace nodded. "Chain him up. Leave the girl."

"Girl, sir?" Perry asked. "Surely that is a boy. A cabin boy."

"No." Stone said. "Feminine, far more than any boy could be. This young girl has chosen her fate. Leave two men to kill her and burn the ship." I growled as Mr. Trace and Captain Ben looked at me. "Feel free to fight back though, young miss. But, before you die, what is your name?"

"They call me Lad." I said.

"But what is your birth name?" He asked. "I won't have you die without a proper name in my report. There will be a posthumous bounty of, I want to say forty thousand, but I can tell you are not normal. You evaded Lieutenant Perry's faster attacks, so I'm guessing you have some talent. I think, a bounty of one hundred thousand should be fitting, and it will go to your family." My eyes widened a little. "Please, think of your family."

"My name is Luna Veluria." I said quietly. He smiled, along with Lieutenant Perry, and they walked off of the ship with the captain and Mr. Trace, but Perry turned at the last second. He was short, about my height, and was definitely young, probably sixteen. He had short mousy blond hair and green eyes. Apart from his freakish strength and speed, he looked like a normal teenage boy. He went back as two men walked down the boarding ramp toward me. A small boat was lowered into the water as the Marine ship began moving away. Despite that I was probably going to die, I smiled as wide as ever. "You're not going to kill me so easily. I won't go down without a fight."

"Even, i-if you kill us, they'll s-sink the ship." The first one said, drawing his sword. The other followed and nodded. "They'll scuttle it. You'll die no matter what." I nodded. "You're, not s-scared of d-dying?" I thought about it and shook my head, smiling even wider.

"No." I said quietly. I started laughing. "I'm not afraid of you, or your friends." The first one ran up to me and I dodged him easily, and I reached up my sleeve and swung the small knife out, cutting his arm. His friend ran over to me, only to receive the knife through his forehead. I stepped back and put the knife back up my sleeve as the other Marine shivered in obvious fear. I picked up his partner's saber and raised it calmly. The deck was mostly clear, the crew thrown into the water before Stone came onboard, so it was just us at that point. "We all have to die sometime. At least I'll be remembered as the defiant Sea Devil Pirate. They probably won't even know who you are until they count the names of those who didn't come back to your ship."

"Damn it." He said quietly. "I, I won't back down. I'll die fighting." I smiled just a little wider. "Q-quit smiling! You're a kid, and you're going to die!" I swung the sword and he stepped back. "You're a kid!"

"I'm a pirate." I said coldly. I ran up to him and he blocked the first strike, and the second, but the third time I caught him in the stomach, and I quickly grabbed his sword, spun around, and jammed the blade in his chest. He groaned as he fell to his side. I shivered in anticipation as I walked up to the wheel, and I saw Captain Stone looking at me as several cannons leveled with the ship. "Come on then! I'm ready!" I drew the small knife and threw it as hard as I could at their ship, and I saw it cut Stone's face, and he roared, and yelled something I could barely hear. Without warning one of the cannons fired and hit near me, throwing me back against the mast. I cried out as I slid down and landed, and another explosion destroyed part of the ship, and I had a painful ringing in my ears. I got up quickly as a cannonball shot past me and hit the deck behind me. I skidded to a halt as the side broke away and I fell into the water. I immediately started coughing and sputtering before my hand hit a piece of wood. With all my strength I held onto it, but I felt strange, weak. 'No, this, this might not be the end. I, I'll save, the captain…' I coughed again as I moved onto the wood and looked back as the Marines laughed at me. Looking back, I climbed up onto the part of the deck that survived, and I spat out some seawater. As their ship moved away I growled, my hearing starting to come back. 'Damn you Stone.' After a few minutes I knew there was no way I could catch them, and I'd definitely die in the attempt. 'Trevor, I'll get you for this. You betrayed us…' Mr. Trace was definitely going to get into big trouble, possibly even executed because of his kindness. Without warning something pushed the deck, and I quickly grabbed it as it slid back. 'What?' It was my trunk, floating up as though it were trying to follow me. I stared at it before I pulled it on, remembering my gold. How it was still floating was beyond me, but I wasn't going to let it go. I figured that I could keep it when I made it to, wherever I was going… 'Tougarest, three days, northwest.' I reached into my pocket, hoping for a map, but it was just a compass. I stared at it for a moment before the needle pointed north. Removing my bandanna, I lined up the points and looked to the Northwest. "Good luck Mr. Trace. I could use a little luck myself." I opened my trunk as the wind blew, and I was moving. Hopefully I'd be found by a ship soon. If not, I just hoped I'd get to my destination. Pulling out a canteen, I opened it and sniffed twice before recoiling a little. Rum. I closed it, knowing I couldn't afford to lose my control, until I was close. Grabbing the other one, I shook it and found it full. "If I do this right, I should be able to make this last for, a little while." I opened it and drank a little before closing it. After a few minutes I closed the trunk partly and removed the knife of the crucifix and pushed the hinges open and cut the lining of the lid. "You've saved me luggage. Thank you for your sacrifice." I slowly pulled the trunk to the center of the wood and set the compass down and lined it up again before I started pulling water on either side of my raft. I saw an oar in the distance, most of it at least, so I decided it to be my first objective. "Got to, find, Tougarest."


	4. A New Family

**Sorry for the late post, I'm running a little behind schedule due to a late night dealing with my computer. It likes to cause me issues sometimes. That said, it didn't give me issues with this chapter of Changing Tides.**

**I'd like to thank my betas, TomA62975, nightshadowdark, and now, Chaotyx. Thank you all for your help.**

**Now, I'm glad you're all reading, but please, review. It can help me keep my focus on this story, so if you like it, please review.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I, TomA62975, nightshadowdark, and Chaotyx, do not own the rights to One Piece. If we did, it might not be as good as it is. Thank you for your time.  
>…<strong>

I lowered my back to my seat on the boat and sighed. Two days passed agonizingly slowly, and I was tired of rowing. I rowed for as long as I could, stopped for a bit, and went back to it for a while. I was also officially out of fresh water, and anything else I had wouldn't help for long. I had a few oranges, but I'd be lucky if they weren't spoiled by now. Staring at the clouds was all I could do at the time. There were no signs of ships, and the only island visible was days away. Whether or not it was Tougarest remained to be seen. Worse, I didn't know where the port was.

'This can't be good.' I thought quietly. 'And, Mr. Trace gave up his freedom for me, to save me. All for a stupid… What did that guy call it? The Henkan-Henkan no Mi?' I thought about the fruit I'd eaten. 'Change? Transform? Is that what it lets me do? It means change or transform…' I sighed and my stomach growled, so I put my hand on it. 'I need to figure it out. If I don't, I won't be able to help the others.' After a little while I sighed and stared at the clouds before leaning up and reaching into the chest, pulling out my bear. She was still dry, luckily. The trunk would actually seal completely, before I had cut it anyway. Now, I just had to keep her dry. 'Kuma-chan, what do we do?' I held the bear to my chest with both arms and stared at the clouds. Kuma-chan was just an ordinary brown stuffed bear with little black eyes, but she was my favorite keepsake. 'What do we do?' The sky was clear, and mostly just blue with little bits of white here and there. After a little while I moved Kuma-chan back into the chest and put the lid back on. After getting the first oar, I made it to the lifeboat that had been lowered from the Marine ship. It was more than likely intended for the two marines, as they hadn't expected the knife, but now it was my only means of survival. 'Captain…' I closed my eyes and moved into a comfortable position before I started breathing quietly. Just over eleven days with a pirate crew, and I saw them as more of a family than I had my real family. I don't know why, but I just saw them as, big brothers or uncles. Captain Ben was more of a father than my father had been to me. Kind words, never mad, and he gave me little gifts out of kindness, not the thought that a daughter needed constant toys or dolls.  
>…<p>

"_Luna, please don't go." My mom said quietly. I didn't look from the door, nor did I move my hand from the handle._

"_Mom, I can't marry that kid." I said. "I won't. Dad just wants the money, and this kid, he's nine years old. I won't resign myself to marrying him when we're of age just because dad wants money."_

"_Please, _try_ to talk to him." She said._

"_I have." I said. "He won't listen to me. All he says is that it's my duty to our family to get us out of this neighborhood, that I _have_ to do this. I won't let it be my fate to marry someone just because dad wants to live in a mansion instead of the nice house we already have."_

"_Luna, please, don't leave." She begged. "You don't have to go so far just to get away from your father."_

"_He hasn't given me much choice." I said quietly. "Just, tell him I'm sorry I can't be the daughter he wanted me to be." I walked out of the door and saw my trunk on a wagon that would take me to the docks to get on the ship. I made it to the end of the walk when I stopped._

"_Luna." My father said. "Are you sure this is what you want to do?"_

"_I won't marry Jeris just so we can move into a giant mansion." I said, turning to him. "I want to marry for love, not for money." He looked away. "If I marry someone I don't love, it has to be for more than that, it would have to be that you would die if I didn't. I want to live my own life father." He looked at me and sighed quietly._

"_Just, come back." He said tiredly. "I only want what's best for you. If you marry Jeris, you'll never need to worry about money. You'll have an easy life where you don't need to worry about anything." I smiled a little. "When you come back from your trip, we'll talk this out." I smiled before walking over to him and hugging him, which he returned. "I'll see you when you get back." I nodded._

"_Bye dad." I said. "Tell mom I love her."_  
>…<p>

I looked at the island ahead of me and sighed quietly. It had to be Tougarest. If it wasn't, at least I could possibly find food. I could only hope for the best. Lately, I'd been warmer than usual, and I kept having strange dreams, probably due to lack of food. The reason I thought that was because I kept dreaming about eating huge amounts of food, whole banquets. My stomach hurt because I was so hungry, but I would be okay. As I leaned back, I grabbed the oars and began rowing toward the island.

'Got to find something to eat soon.' I thought. 'I'm, starving.' Each time the oars hit the water I pulled as hard as my muscles allowed, and I was moving fairly quickly. I looked back every few strokes and saw my goal in sight, but more than that, I spotted something that made my smile grow wide. There was a ship's mast in the distance with a Jolly Roger. It was out of my full view, but I knew what it was. 'Tougarest. It has to be.' I rowed a little harder, and though it hurt, it was worth the effort. The waves were only helping me as well. Finally, things were starting to go my way. After a while I was almost too tired, so I stopped and let the current take me there, but I opened my trunk and pulled out the water flask, opening it and drinking half of what was left. As I looked over, the ship started leaving the port, but I could see the flag properly. It was a skull and crossbones with a large white upward crescent mustache. It made my eyes go wide as I lowered the flask and capped it. 'Is that, Whitebeard's ship? It can't be. No way am I seeing one of his ships _here_.' As it left and got into full view, it started turning toward my little boat, so I looked down and grabbed the cut interior fabric from my chest and tied it to one of the oars, and I waited until it was reasonably close before I started waving it. They weren't known for cruelty, luckily, so maybe they'd pick me up and give me some food, or at least some water before sending me on my way back to Tougarest. 'Please, please help me.' I saw a pirate looking over the edge and I waved the flag a little harder and he called out to someone off to the side. I lowered the oar as a ladder was lowered. A pirate slid down it and I slowly stood up as the massive ship moved closer, slowly.

"Hang on kiddo." He called. "You'll be alright." I smiled, grateful they would pick me up.  
>…<p>

I knelt in front of the sleeping captain as one of the men tried to wake him up. They were talking, but, I was entirely surprised at the fact that I was on _his_ flagship, and that I was in front of him, the most powerful man in the world, and, he was asleep. I was excited to the point that I was actively fighting a huge grin. His mere presence was, oddly inspiring, regardless the oxygen tube and various IVs hooked up to him.

"Pops, a kid was adrift in a lifeboat." The man said. He was on a step ladder, and it was obvious why. Captain Whitebeard was probably the biggest man I've ever seen, at least five times the size of a normal man. "We've taken him on, and he'd like to thank you." He just snored quietly for a moment before a thought hit me. He was known for his love of alcohol, though he preferred expensive and fine varieties. I wanted to offer what rum I had, but, I figured it was a cheap one, since it could be bought easily by the barrel most of the time. "I think we may have to wait for a while kid. The only thing that'd wake him would be the smell of a good drink."

"Does he, like rum, at all?" I asked. He shrugged as he climbed down, and I moved to a sitting position. "I have a little. Not much for such a, a powerfully built man, as your captain…" I grabbed the flask from my hip and looked at him as he walked over.

"Well, it might work." He said. "But, he prefers some expensive brands. It might not even come close to waking him up." I held it up and he took it, opening it and sniffing it once, lowering it. "Wh-where did you get this?" He sniffed it again and I heard murmuring all around. "This is a good quality rum. It's tough to find these days because of how specific the conditions are to make it." He sniffed it and I rubbed my head.

"My captain gave it to me before, we were beaten by the Marines." I said, quietly near the end. "Will that wake him up?" He sniffed it again.

"No doubt." He said. "He's been looking for this, in any amount. It'll get him up in a second." He poured a bit into the cap and handed the flask back to me and helped me up. "Give this to him, act like he's no one special, and he'll probably like you… Just don't try to tell him what to do. And don't act like he's an old man." I nodded as he walked over and climbed the ladder again and held the cap out carefully, and I saw the mustache twitch before his hand took the cap and his eyes opened slowly, and he just looked down at it as the man laughed. "Pops, you've got a visitor, a little girl who got shipwrecked somehow." Whitebeard's eyes settled on me as he looked at the cap and my flask, so I walked forward calmly, holding the flask up.

"I heard you like this particular kind of rum." I said. He slowly took it and sniffed it before smiling.

"Nice present." He said. "Where'd a little squirt like you get this?" He started drinking it so I waited for him to finish as I smiled. When he was done he sighed. "Ah, that hits the spot. I haven't had this brand of rum in five long years."

"It was a gift from my captain." I said. He looked at me. "Captain Ben." His eyes went wide as the other man suddenly slid down the ladder.

"Ben Smythe?" He asked. I nodded.

"Y-yes." I said. "Of the Sea Devil Pirates. I was his cabin boy… Kind of." He stared at me before looking out to the sea.

"So, the Marines got him." He said quietly. I nodded. "How many did he take with him before he died?"

"He's still alive." I said. He seemed surprised. "They were after a Devil Fruit, and, one of the crew said he had eaten it, to protect me." He stared before laughing, along with much of the rest of the crew around me. I was surprised.

"You, ate a Devil Fruit?" He asked through his laughter. "You're far too young." I waited until he calmed down. "What? You're not gonna cry are you?"

"No." I said quietly. "But, I did eat it. I didn't know what it was, but I was hungry, and I was told I could eat whatever was in the hold that I could find, and, it was in a sugar barrel, on top of the sugar, so I ate it." They all stopped laughing as he leaned forward, sloshing the last of the rum in the flask.

"What fruit was it?" He asked. "Do you know?"

"Hey, dad, are you sure she's telling the truth?" One of the men asked.

"Something in her eye." He said quietly. "I can tell she's being honest." I nodded.

"It was the Henkan-Henkan no Mi." I said. He leaned back and seemed in thought.

"Sounds like the name of one." One man said.

"Yeah, but what kind of fruit is it?" Another asked.

"Sounds like a doozy." Whitebeard said. "How was it? Horrible tasting?"

"It, changed." I said. "One minute it's dark red, the next it's green, or gold, or blue, or purple, fuzzy, smooth, rough, hard, soft… And sometimes it tasted fantastic, but at others, I almost couldn't stand it." He drank the rest of the rum and sighed.

"And they didn't know you've eaten it yet?" He asked.

"I don't think so." I said. "One of the crew, Mr. Trace, took my place and told me to go to, Tougarest." He adjusted the tube at his nose as he leaned a little more forward. "They destroyed the ship with me on it, but they I was able to get onto a piece of the deck that held together, and, they left a lifeboat behind for the two men they left to kill me…"

"Okay, how did you survive that?" A man behind me asked. I saw Whitebeard looking up at him so I turned. "You're a kid, they're Marines, no way they did that. Surviving a scuttling, maybe, but not two Marines of _any_ rank wouldn't slaughter a little girl just into her teens."

"I'm a good fighter." I said. "I don't know why, but, when I have to fight, I know where they're going to attack from." Whitebeard laughed quietly so I looked at him.

"Really now?" He asked. He leaned back. "This is something I'd like to see. Do you think you're up to showing us this, ability?" My stomach growled and he laughed again. "Someone get her some food, and a drink. I'd say she's earned it."  
>…<p>

I looked at the man in front of me as he held the wooden sword, though I had a real one. It wasn't much of one, just a normal katana, but I was worried that I might kill him. He didn't seem so worried though. It was more like he was going to hold back to avoid hurting me.

"Anytime you're ready." Whitebeard said. The man readied the sword and I swallowed as he ran at me. I got that familiar feeling telling me to duck and back away, so I did. The look on his face as I moved up was matched only by how he pushed the sword away and jumped back.

"Lucky dodge, that's all." He said calmly. He ran in again and I couldn't stop the smile. I had a full stomach, I wasn't so thirsty, and I had energy to spare for the first time in days, so I was feeling oddly playful. As he got close, I moved back and avoided his attacks carefully for a few minutes until I blocked his sword with the edge of my blade, and it cut two thirds of his blade clean off before I put the edge near his throat as I breathed quietly. "O-o-okay, I was wrong. You beat all the Marines, like you said you did." I moved the sword back as Whitebeard laughed.

"Not bad kiddo, not bad." He said. I looked at him as I lowered my arm. "Captain Ben made the right choice picking you as his cabin 'boy', or rather, having you picked _for_ him." The man I'd fought grabbed the broken blade and walked away as Whitebeard beckoned me over. I walked over, putting the sword by my trunk, and he actually picked me up and set me on his knee. To say that I was nervous would be a severe understatement. "I'll tell you what, I'll try to find your captain, but I can't make any promises. The man that took him is a new guy, so it may take years before he makes something of himself, if he does at all." I nodded slowly. "For now, how about joining my crew, just for a while so we can get you settled into the life of a pirate, if you want." My heart sped up a little. "Maybe we'll find your captain, maybe we won't, but one thing I know, you've got potential that _must not_ be wasted. You have the power known as Haki, Ambition."

"Haki…" I repeated quietly.

"Yes, a great power." He said. "That trick of yours is called Busōshoku, and it can be used to greater effect than what you've used it for. With time and training, you can dodge any attack launched at you, even if you don't know that someone was there in the first place." I nodded shakily, fighting a smile. I'm sure Captain Ben would appreciate me learning to control such a technique instead of just, using it without realizing it. "What do you say? Join us for a few years, we'll teach you what we can, and if you ever want to strike out on your own, we'll drop you off here at Tougarest and you can do as you please." I didn't need to think about it. Just under two weeks on a pirate ship, I knew it was the life I was meant for, and being asked to join the crew of a living legend had to be a sign.

"Yes." I said quickly. He smiled. "I, I feel like, this is the life I'm supposed to live." He nodded and put his hand on my head.

"Okay then." He said. "We'll make sure you learn all we can possibly teach you." I laughed as he messed my hair up. "That's my girl." He was friendly, known for treating his crew like family, like they were his own children. I learned that fact as I was eating, though I only spoke between the plates that were brought to me. Apparently, my appetite would increase, according to him. It was just how it went with a lot of Devil Fruit users.  
>…<p>

I settled into the hammock as I held Kuma-chan to my chest. I had my own room, and it was bigger than I thought it would be, but I was happy to be there. The only oddity was when I told Whitebeard my name. The way he looked at me was strange, l couldn't place it, but it was a mix of curiosity and concern, with maybe a little bit of pride.

But he played it off by saying he'd work on finding out about my Devil Fruit power however he could, mostly so I could find out how to use it without having to go through trial and error. It wouldn't be easy, being that I was now the newest and youngest member of the crew. But so far everyone was as nice as the Sea Devils had been to me, though this time there was no uniform. I kept the bandanna though, as a memento, in my trunk.

"Kuma-chan, we're really off course from where we started." I whispered. I hugged her slightly closer to me as I looked up at the porthole. "We started off trying to get away from my family, but now, we're part of the Whitebeard Pirate crew. I don't really know how it all got to this point, but…" I smiled widely. "We're on a great adventure, and I can use Haki. I thought it was just something in stories mom told me." I looked at her before closing my eyes. "I wonder what will happen, but, I just hope we can help Captain Ben someday." I smiled a little wider. "I'm sure he'd laugh at hearing we're part of this crew now. This, this is going to be fun, I just know it will be."


	5. A fresh future

**This story has actually done better than I expected. I am honestly surprised, but in a good way. This chapter though, it's going to be a big change from the first four. From here Luna is twenty one, and has spent eight years in Whitebeard's crew. This also somewhat introduces her powers, which will be further explained later, though it will take some time.**

**As usual, there are thanks to be given. Thanks go to TomA62975, nightshadowdark, and Chaotyx. Thank you, I really appreciate your help. And I also want to thank everyone who reads Changing Tides and any of my stories. I'm also thankful of any and all reviews. Just saying.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, along with TomA62975, nightshadowdark, and Chaotyx, do not own the rights to One Piece. Thank you, and have a nice day.  
>…<strong>

"_So, you're headed out then." Whitebeard said. I turned and nodded._

"_Yeah, I figure now is a good time." I said. "All we've found out is that Ben is being kept in the New World somewhere, and the crew that captured him is somewhere else." I laughed. "If that's all we can learn in eight years, maybe I should try a new tactic." He smirked._

"_Well, you've gotta leave the nest sooner or later." He said. "I guess eight years is long enough, eh?" I laughed and turned to him before he messed my hair up, making me laugh even more. "Well, be careful out there. The Marines haven't taken an interest in ya yet, but they will someday." I smiled as I looked up at him._

"_I'll try to visit if I can." I said. "And I'll send a letter whenever I can." He laughed and I hugged his arm. "Take care of everyone for me." He put his other hand on my head with his usual warm smile._

"_You too sweetie." He said kindly. "I'll keep an ear out for ya, just in case you make somethin' of yourself." I grinned._

"_I will." I said. "I'll gather a crew, and if you ever need us, I'll get us there as fast as I can." He laughed as I stepped back, and he grabbed my hat and put it on my head, making me giggle. "Dad, come on." He laughed again before sighing._

"_Before you shove off in the dinghy, come by and share a drink, would ya?" He asked. I nodded._

"_I wouldn't miss a chance for anything." I said. He smiled and gestured._

"_Well, get packin' then." He said. "I'll get a barrel sent up and I'll get a dish for ya." I nodded and stepped back._

"_I'll be back in a bit." I said. I turned and walked quickly to my room, smiling the whole way. As I got into my room I went to my chest and opened it, checking on Kuma-chan. She was safely tucked away into a secret spot in the lid. I smiled before getting up and looking into the mirror, and I smiled. 'I've come a long way.' I walked up to it and put my hand on the surface. My long silver hair was still messed up, and it partly obscured my deep red eyes. I fixed it after a few seconds and looked down to a picture of my younger self sitting on Whitebeard's shoulder. It was a special picture, one that he had as well. He had pictures of all of his favorite 'children', and I was happy to be so important to him. 'Pops, I'll make sure I can be a pirate you'll be proud of.' I picked it up and looked at myself._

_I was just over five feet tall, probably just shy of a hundred pounds. I still had the bright blue bandanna with Ben's Jolly Roger on it, though it was flipped so that it was blank. I had a clean white shirt on with the sleeves torn off showing off my scrawny and lanky arms. My loose fitting jeans were also made shorter, showing off the scrawny but long legs. Even my old black sneakers were on, visibly well worn._

_My skin was slightly pale, but I was working on a tan at that time. My short dark brown hair, ending just past my chin, was cute, slightly hiding my chocolate brown eyes. I still looked like a boy of maybe thirteen, and I was smiling as widely as I always was. Sitting on Whitebeard's shoulder, it really showed just how large he really was, how small I was by comparison._

_I looked up and saw my reflection, so I stepped back and looked at myself. In eight years I had grown eight inches, to five foot nine, probably a hundred and ten pounds at the most. I was built like a martial artist, while still being slightly long limbed compared to a normal person. In stark contrast to my lighter colored clothing from youth, I wore almost pure black. A black fedora with a dark red band, a black silk shirt and a black suit jacket, black silk pants with silver stitching, fingerless black gloves with rivets in the knuckles, and black 'cowgirl' boots, I looked confident, but surprisingly not as dangerous as I truly was._

_In eight years, my training made me a lot stronger than before. I was finally ready to go out and try to gather a strong crew. Whether or not I'd try to find One Piece to become the Pirate Queen, I wasn't sure yet, but I didn't rule out the thought. Mostly, I just wanted to find Captain Ben. I had to thank him for sparing my life and showing me the life that I want to live. I'm going to find him, and I'm going to show him what I have made of myself.  
>…<em>

I hefted my travel chest up onto one shoulder while I picked up my travel bag before walking down the dock toward the town, intent on finding a hotel for a few nights before I would go about my personal task. There was a lot to do, but it wouldn't take too long if everything went just right.

As I walked I saw a few Marines walking around, a few holding wanted posters and showing them to people. Apparently they were convinced that someone they were after happened to be in the city. I kept walking though until I looked over my shoulder at a young Marine walking up to me, holding the poster up. In it was a man with a dark headband and a metal guard on the front with two feathers, one lighter than the other, but the darker one had a dot near the middle.

"Have you seen this man?" He asked. "We have reason to believe he's here in town right now, or is on his way _here_." I shrugged.

"I can't say that I have, apart from the picture." I said. I looked down and saw the bounty. "Three million Beri? Not a real danger."

"He's wanted for questioning about the death of a Marine captain." He said. "We believe he may have information, but he refused to come forward." He held it out and I looked at the chest and then at the bag and he laughed for a second as I raised the bag and moved a finger out. "If you see him, alert a Marine as soon as possible." He put it in my finger and I held onto it as he walked the other way. As soon as he was out of sight I looked at the picture again.

'Sario Fanito…' I thought. 'Why do they only have the name, the bounty, and the word wanted? They never have any useful information about _why_ they're after the person.' I shook my head and walked down the dock and sighed. 'Beautiful day though. I'm finally, truly on my own. Hopefully I can do this right, and not fall flat on my face on day one.' I smiled as I made it to the end, but a sound caught my attention. I stepped back and looked toward an open area and saw a group of Marines chasing after a man wearing a black shirt with torn off sleeves, black slacks, with gold bracelets on his wrists and a pair of sandals on his black leather belt. He rushed past me, nearly knocking me over, though as he passed, there was a moment where we looked at each other's faces. 'Sario.' He was the man from the wanted poster. He ran down the path, but I had to dodge the Marines. I watched as he jumped over a bunch of carts that were in his way, and the Marines went around them. His hair was, red with blue streaks, or perhaps the opposite, with a five o'clock shadow, also red with blue streaks. 'Well Mr. Fanito, perhaps you're more interesting than they let on.' I looked around before walking over to a nearby hotel, where a valet looked at me. "Excuse me, but do you know if there are any rooms available?" He nodded and pointed at the door, so I smiled. "Thank you. I didn't to have to lug this stuff all the way back out." I walked in and saw the desk, so I walked over as a woman in a light lavender suit walked up to the desk, looking slightly confused.

"Hello, welcome to the Shell Inn." She said. "Do you know what just happened outside? I heard a loud crash."

"Some man was running from the Marines." I said. "I think it was a training exercise." She laughed as I walked over to the desk and set my bag and chest down as she held out a piece of paper.

"If you'll just sign here, I can get you a room." She said. I nodded and pulled out a pen and signed carefully. "Thank you Miss…" Her eyes flicked down. "Veluria." I smiled as she pulled the paper back. "How long will you be staying?"

"I know I'll be in for at least tonight and tomorrow, but I'd like four days just to be safe." I said. She nodded and I pulled out my wallet.

"We have two rooms left." She said. "But, they're out more expensive suites." I looked at her. "All that we have left are the Presidential and Admiral Suites." I just shrugged.

"I've always wanted to stay in a Suite." I said. "I am _okay_ with the Admiral Suite." She laughed as I pulled out the money, and she set the key down.

"It will be fifty thousand per night." She said. I stopped before counting out the bills. "Miss Veluria?" I set the money down and she looked at it before smiling. "Oh, I'm sorry for nearly interrupting your concentration."

"It's okay." I said. "I'm just glad it's so cheap compared to what I was expecting."

"What were you expecting?" She asked.

"Well, either half of that of double." I said. I took the key and went to grab my things when I saw a pair of men hefting the bag and four men working on lifting the chest. "Um, you may want to let me handle that." I walked over to them as they stepped back, all of them panting heavily. "I've got some serious luggage in here." I picked it up and held it under my arm as the other two stared. "So, top floor?"

"Yes." The woman said. "Enjoy your stay and the complimentary mini-bar." I nodded with a smile as I gestured to the stairs and the two men began following me up. As we got to the third floor I stopped and turned to them and they set the bag down.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"W-well, normally, we don't lift cannons stuffed into bags." The first man said. I looked at their nametags. He was Theodore, and the other was William.

"What's in that thing?" William asked. I laughed quietly.

"Everything I own." I said. They looked at each other. "I'm, well, I guess you could call me a traveler of sorts. You never know when you'll need a bug net or a tent, or a rifle…"

"Whoa, a rifle?" Theodore asked.

"And a sword." I continued.

"Whoa, whoa, no way." William said. "Sword, rifle, what else, a hatchet?"

"No, that'd be silly." I said. They sighed and leaned down to pick up the bag. "But I do have a spear." They stood up and I laughed again. "I'm kidding. I've only got what I need. If I can't shoot it or cut it in half, what good will a spear do?" They laughed. "If you want, I can carry it and say you did if anyone asks." They looked at each other and then at me as they stepped back from it, and I laughed as I walked over and picked it up easily. "I guess I should have told you it was going to be a chore." I turned and walked up the next flight of stairs. "So, have you seen the Suite I'm going to be staying in?"

"Yeah, it's really nice." William said. "Big soft beds, a huge couch, and a hot tub in the center of the floor." I stopped and looked at them.

"Hot tub?" I asked. They nodded and I smiled. "Nice indeed. I had a feeling I picked the right hotel." They laughed as I went back to walking.

"And the bar is fully stocked and _free_." Theodore said happily. "You are going to _love_ this room." I smiled as we reached the floor, and I immediately saw the only door. "The best part, the whole floor is basically the room. You have the floor all to yourself, unless you bring a few friends up." I unlocked the door and walked in, and nearly dropped my luggage.

"Man, I _never_ get tired of seeing this room, or the look on people's faces." William said. "This is the best part of the job." I set the chest down on a sturdy table and my bag beside it before I unlocked and opened the chest. "Wh-whoa!"

"Where did you get all that gold?" Theodore asked.

"I've had this for about, eight years." I said. "New chest, but this is where I keep my personal stash… Let's see…" I sifted through the top layer until I found a few expensive pieces. "Yes, these should work nicely." I picked them up and held them out, and they slowly took them. "I never wear stuff like this. Do you have girlfriends?" They nodded slowly. "I'm sure they'll love these. Just remember to tell them that a friend gave them to you to give to them." They nodded and smiled before pocketing them.

"Thank you." They said.

"I know the girls will love these." Theodore said, holding out his hand. I shook it with a smile before shaking William's.

"If you ever need us for anything, don't hesitate to let us know." William said. "Have a great day."

"You too." I said. They walked out and closed the door and I smiled as I closed the chest and relocked it. "This is almost a little nicer than the room Pops gave me." I walked around the hot tub in the middle of the room and up to the window, resting my arms on it as I inhaled deeply. "The only thing that's missing, is my family." I sighed. I tapped my feet slowly, but before I stepped back I heard something.

"Damn it, leave me alone!" A man yelled. I looked over to see Sario running past the hotel again. I whistled down at him and he looked up.

"Hey, try a back alley!" I called. "And maybe _hide_ in something!" He turned down an alley before I pulled out a small slingshot and a handful of small stones. I took aim at a flower pot and watched the Marines as they ran toward the entrance. I stepped back and readied the sling as I counted down as I pulled it back. "Three… Two… One…" I let it go and it hit the pot, knocking it down into their path. I heard them yelling and smiled.

"Hey, are you okay?" One said. I walked over and looked down at them, smiling widely. Though I hadn't forgiven their organization, I didn't hold it against individual Marines. I saw one holding his head as the others helped him up.

"What happened?" He asked in a dazed tone.

"Looks like someone didn't set the flower pot right!" I called. They looked up. "Looking for the man in the black outfit?" I let go of the sling and pointed down a different alley. "I think I saw him go down that alley over there." They looked over. "Good luck." Most of them ran as the dazed one and the man helping him went the other way. I went back and picked up the slingshot and put it in my pocket. "I'm glad I brought this with me. Pops would be happy." I laughed as I walked into the bedroom and sighed. It was a bed big enough for _him_, which made me wonder if there were other men anywhere remotely as big. "I can deal with this thing." I went over to it and sat down, and was instantly pulled into it. "Wh-what?" I moved around and felt it moving and shifting a little, sloshing. I moved the blanket a little and saw that there was a large, pouch of water under it. "A, water bed? Wow. I didn't think I'd ever find one that I wouldn't have to buy." I laughed and moved to the middle and enjoyed it as I shifted a little. "Oh, I'm going to enjoy this bed." I sighed and got out of the bed and got up before stretching. "Okay, time to get to work. I've got a big day ahead." I walked over to my bag and opened it. Inside was the uniform of a Marine Lieutenant Commander. I smiled as I locked the door and walked over to the bed and set the bag down before I removed my favorite black jacket before unbuttoning my black silk shirt. "Okay, this should be easy enough. I can't see why it wouldn't. Blonde hair, slightly larger breasts, maybe a cute little beauty mark…" I giggled. "Wait, freckles, yeah. Cute freckles. Perfect… And blue eyes should go over nicely, especially with a cute, sweet and friendly voice."  
>…<p>

"Commander." The Marine at the door said. He snapped to attention and I returned his salute as I checked his rank quickly.

"At ease Gunny." I said. He opened the door and I walked in. "Thank you." As I walked through I was fighting a smile at how many men and women were saluting me, stepping aside, and making a wide path. From time to time I wanted to stop and chat, but I just had to keep going. I finally reached the room I was after, the file room. I opened the door and saw a man looking over a few maps with some files, and he looked up before standing quickly and saluting, promptly hitting himself in the forehead. I returned it while fighting an even bigger smile, but he seemed about ready to pass out. "At ease Private, I'm not here to bother you." He lowered his arm and was visibly nervous. "I need a map of the Grand Line, specifically around the New World area, whatever we've got." He nodded and turned quickly, so I reached out and touched his shoulder. "Private, calm down." He nodded shakily and I patted his shoulder and smiled slightly. "This is nothing big. I just need the map and any files, the originals if you've got 'em." He nodded and breathed in and out quietly before looking through the files. As I waited, he set three maps down and I unrolled one. "This one should do nicely." He looked over.

"Th-that's from Captain Spence's recent l-l-look through." He said. "H-he left s-s-some notes about the S-S-S-Sea Kings in th-the area."

"Are you okay?" I asked. "I was hoping you'd calmed down." He nodded quickly.

"J-just a s-st-stutter." He said. "I-i-it's cool." I nodded as I put the map down and he set a file down in front of me. "B-b-brand new data, all o-original by C-C-Captain Spence from last week." I nodded and opened it to look it over. Not one thing was blacked out. "Wh-what will you use this f-f-for?"

"Research and compilation." I said. "I may have to keep it for a while, and I'm not sure my superiors won't want to keep it." He nodded as I looked down it. "Make sure to note that and you'll be fine." He nodded with a smile and I closed the file. "This is off the record of course. I was never here, this map and this file were never here, and if anyone knows I was here, no name, just rank." He nodded before staring. "For your safety, I'm just 'the LT'." He nodded as I picked the map and file up. "I appreciate your cooperation." I leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Carry on." He nodded with a blush and sat down as I walked out and back onto the main base area, when I saw Sario in cuffs being walked in, and, unsurprisingly, he was bleeding slightly from his forehead. He was being escorted by three men, one holding a chain and one on each side. Their combined rank wasn't close to mine, but I felt strange about him, and I had a thought. 'Well, I do need a hand…' I steeled my nerves and walked over. "Pardon me, where are you taking him?" They all looked at me. "Did I stutter?"

"We, we're taking him to the Major." The one holding the chain said. "He's wanted for questioning."

"Questioning for what?" I asked.

"Th-the murder of an officer." He said quickly.

"Tell the Major he knows nothing." I said.

"But, it happened just yesterday." He said.

"He was with me, and I have four other witnesses." I said. "Release him and tell the Major that custody has been remanded to Lieutenant Commander Zabrisa Lunari." They nodded and undid the chains as Sario looked up at me. They stepped back and I handed him the map and file. "Let's get back to the room where we can go over the mission. Just don't suggest a _back alley_ this time." A look of confusion appeared before it was replaced with understanding and he nodded. "Sergeants." They nodded as I walked off with Sario at my side. As we exited the base he watched me until we started down a street.

"What the hell was that about?" He asked quietly. "Am I being drafted or something?" I laughed quietly, in my normal voice. It was partly for his accent. I hadn't heard it in a good while.

"I don't know why I got you out of there, but you're sticking with me for a bit." I said. He seemed surprised. "Don't say much, we're coming up on some Marines soon. They're going to be very mad when they finally realize that Zabrisa Lunari doesn't exist." He laughed quietly and I cleared my throat. "But for now, that is who I am. You're coming with me and you'll stay with me for at least until I leave the island."  
>…<p>

I sat down and looked at the map next to one I had been given before I left my family while Sario looked around the room. The differences were clear, but there was definitely good information. He suddenly laughed and I looked up.

"Man, this room has everything." He said happily. "A bar, a hot tub, and even Tone Dials!"

"Leave the Tone Dials alone for a bit." I said. He looked over at me. "I've got some serious work to go over right now, and hopefully I won't have to go back to the base to get more. One visit is confusing, two is suspicious, and three is just asking to be found out." I looked back down as he walked over.

"Say, how is it that you look so different?" He asked. "This morning, you had silver hair and red eyes, and you were wearing, a black suit, I think. And, your skin was a lot paler than this… And your breasts were a lot smaller. Are these fake?" He reached forward and I moved my hand in front of his.

"They're real." I said calmly. "I'll explain later after I take a shower. Whenever I dress this way I feel, different. A shower clears that up quickly." He lowered his hand and looked at me and I sighed after a minute. "Yes?"

"Why did you get me out of that jam?" He asked. "I can't wrap my head around it. Are you really a Marine?"

"I'm not." I said. "The uniform, I stole it a few years ago from a real Lieutenant Commander just for purposes like this. I would have made Pops proud." I looked back at the map and then at the one I had been given. "This map should work nicely with mine."

"Why did you help me though?" He asked again. I shrugged and smiled a little. "You lied to the Marines, tried to help me escape earlier, but why?"

"I'm not sure." I said. "I guess I just wanted you to carry my things." He let out a breath as I laughed. "Really, I don't know why. I guess you don't deserve a bounty for being wanted for questioning… Something tells me they'll rescind that now. You're welcome, but you should head to another island." I looked along the maps and pointed to the same spot on each and looked at them. "It ends here on both. The Marines Captain must not have wanted to risk any further into the New World."

"What do you need to know about that?" He asked. I shrugged.

"That's for me and my future Nakama to know about." I said. He stepped back.

"You're a pirate?" He asked. I nodded.

"A good one." I said. "Although I don't have a crew of my own, I was part of a big crew for the last eight years. I need to build one up sooner or later, but preparation is key." I yawned quietly before I rolled up the map. "This should be helpful later on." I put it away and grabbed the file as he laughed.

"You're pretty calm, for a pirate." He said.

"I'm just starting out on my own." I said. "I don't have a bounty, yet. I expect a big one in the future." I scanned the documents quickly and read silently before nodding. "Yeah, this should be great." I laughed quietly and sighed. "Oh, this is great. Just starting out and I've already got good information." I grabbed the maps and the file and got off of the bed as Sario stared. "So, what kind of music were you thinking? I could use a song while I'm in the shower."


	6. Gathering Some Essentials

**It's been a while since I last posted, and for that I apologize. I've been working hard though, on other projects. Hopefully it all pays off. This chapter is something of a filler, and there'll be a few more before long, once I'm sure they're ready.**

**I'd also like to state that I am always happy to accept an OC, but this time around I can expand the list to include islands and towns. Don't forget that Luna is after maps, and I could use names for them. Not sure how many, but I'll start a file and put a name with each one. Feel free to suggest, and I'll be sure to give credit.**

**Another note, I am posting for a while from my backup computer again. My laptop is giving me issues once more, so I'm going to take it in. Luckily I was able to back my stories up so I wouldn't lose them. If I did, I wouldn't have been posting today, or likely for a very long time. Thankfully that's not the case.**

**Thanks go to TomA62975, as usual, for his great work in beta-checking the chapter. Thanks also go to my personal friend Dragorio for his character, Sario… He doesn't have a account though, so sorry that he can't be found yet.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to One Piece. By association, TomA62975 and Dragorio don't own the rights either. If we did… Well, Luna and Sario would show up from time to time.  
>…<strong>

I tilted my head from side to side as the song played from the tone dial. As luck would have it, I found one of my favorite songs. As I washed my hair with a very good, but odorless, shampoo and conditioner, I started singing under my breath.

"Stand in the place where you live." I sang happily. "Now face North, think about direction, wonder why you haven't before. Now stand in the place where you work." I tilted my head a little more in time with the music. "Now face West, think about the place where you live, wonder why you haven't before…"

"If you are confused, check with the sun." The dial played. "Carry a compass, to help you along. Your feet, are going, to be on the ground. Your head, is there, to move you around…"

"Stand in the place where you live." I sang along. "Now face North, think about direction, wonder why you haven't before…" I smiled as I rinsed my hair. I was very lucky to have found this particular song, and I intended to take it, as I was allowed. Fortunately there was a suitcase I could buy at the front desk to carry things if I found gifts and had no room for other things. I sighed as my skin, hair, and eyes returned to normal, the freckles vanishing as I dropped the last of the focus. Even my breasts returned to their normal size and I shrank about three inches as I sang along. 'Zabrisa Lunari' was a beautiful Marine, but I preferred just being Luna Veluria. I didn't hate being in disguise, but it wasn't something I loved doing often. The excitement of it was worth the trouble, but only if I got what I was after, or if I got something useful or interesting. The song ended and I turned off the water, sighing as I tapped it to stop it, smiling as I looked at it. Tone Dials were beautiful, and very helpful for leaving messages or recording songs someone liked. This one was painted to look like a small field with clouds in the background with a shadow of a person standing while facing in an unspecified direction, the word 'stand' in his shadow on the ground, just barely displayed. "Much better." I opened the shower cabin and grabbed the towel and carefully wrapped it around my body before grabbing the TD and walking onto a second towel I had set down. I heard more music coming from the main room, and I laughed quietly as I heard it. It was one I remember one of my friends, Mickey, would sometimes play after a battle because of his knife. I dried my hair and combed it down before drying myself. I put on a robe as Sario began singing along, badly. "Oh, this has to stop." I laughed as I walked out, my hands in the pockets. He stopped and coughed as he looked at me, but I just smiled. "Having fun?" He tapped the dial and it stopped playing the song, Mack the Knife. "So, enjoying the room?"

"Y-yeah." He said. "So, uh, I guess it doesn't take long to undo all of that makeup." I laughed.

"I don't wear makeup." I said. "It's a long story, but the short version is that eight years ago I gained the ability to change my appearance at will."

"And, the long story?" He asked.

"That is for my Nakama, those I consider my family." I said. "I prefer not to share it with anyone else if they can't figure it out on their own. It's a story that I prefer to keep private, and I hope you'll respect that." He nodded slowly.

"So, what, uh, what do we do now?" He asked. My stomach growled and I laughed.

"Well, I don't know about you, but dealing with the Marines usually leaves me hungry." I said. "I'm going to get dressed and go downstairs for lunch." I walked over to a small changing divider and looked out at him. "If I catch you peeking, I'm going to hurt you. Just so you know." He nodded again and went over to the bathroom as I removed the robe and grabbed my pants and pulled them on. I rarely bothered with underwear unless I wore a skirt. Otherwise, it was just a few seconds I didn't want to use on a frivolous garment. After buttoning the pants and zipping them up, I grabbed my black silk shirt and pulled it on, buttoning it calmly. This was followed by a black suit jacket that went with the pants. It was a custom made suit, al black with silver stitching, using actual silver thread. I grabbed my 'cowgirl' boots and slipped them on after my black shin length socks, tucking the boots into the pant legs. 'Ah, my favorite outfit. I don't know why I have to keep stepping out of you.' I carried several copies of it, and it had cost a lot of money, but it was worth it to look respectable. 'Well, you're my best outfit, and that's that. You and your sisters, of course.' Grabbing my fingerless black gloves, I looked at them for a moment. Slightly thick leather with rivets at the knuckles, silver of course, all made to let me punch just a little harder. With my Haki, I could make the leather as tough as an iron plate, and the rivets tougher still, so when I threw a punch, nothing short of another Haki user of equal skill could so much as slow me down. I slipped the gloves on and grabbed my necklace, still with the golden kogatana on it, though I'd done away with the little cross arms of it. I never was religious, so it was changed by one of the crew. After putting that on I grabbed my hat and put it on, followed by putting my silver wireframe sunglasses into my right breast pocket of the shirt. I stepped out as Sario stepped out of the bathroom after washing his hands, and he looked at me. "What do you think? Don't I look better in black?" I put my hands behind my head and struck a sexy pose, winking at him. His blush made me smile a little more. "So? Don't leave me like this all day."

"Y-yeah, you look, great." He said. "Beautiful." I smiled a little wider as I walked over to the door, and as he followed I gave him a light kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you." I said. "I know, but it's nice to hear that other people think so besides my family."  
>…<p>

I picked up the large piece of beef by both of the ends of the bone that stuck out of either side and began eating it quickly. I still had other places on my list to get to, mostly to get Eternal Poses to specific islands in the Grand Line. Pawn shops were the best places, and they were rarely cheap. I had taken a good deal of my gold coins for that purpose in a few bags, just so I knew I'd have enough.

"Good lord." Sario muttered. "How do you stay so thin?" I ate the last few bites and set the bone down before gently dabbing my lips of any grease. "Seriously, how do you do it?" I set the napkin down and grabbed a bowl of stew and began eating it. "Uh, Luna?" I drank the broth as I finished and set the bowl in several others before dabbing my lips again.

"I have a high metabolism." I said simply. "This is a good meal, but really, I'll be practically starving by dinner." He sighed as I grabbed another bowl while other people watched in either confusion, concern, awe, or excitement. Some were actually taking bets to see how much more I could stand. I'd already eaten ten bowls of stew, not counting the one I was starting into, six large steaks, two large salads, the bone in beef, at least five large plates of pork ribs, and I planned on eating some onigiri with some of my own rum. I'd developed a taste for it, though I never could find the rum that I'd given to Pops. As I finished the stew I sighed happily. "This is almost as good as what Pops' cooks made for me and him."

"Who the heck is this Pops you keep talking about?" He asked. "Is he really your father?" I thought about it before nodding. I'd been with Whitebeard so long, and he treated me like a daughter for all of that time, so he really was like a father to me, almost more than my own father had been. "Sounds like a nice guy." I nodded with a smile.

"Yeah, Pops is a great man." I said fondly. "He's the strongest man alive, and I don't think he's got a mean bone in his body." I grabbed my flask from my side and opened it and was about to raise it when I looked at Sario. "Want some? It's the best I could get." He shrugged and held out his empty cup and I started pouring.

"Whoa, wait, rum?" He asked. I stopped pouring. "It's a little early in the day for me." I shrugged and grabbed the cup, pouring the rum into my own empty glass before setting it in front of him. "You're seriously going to drink at half past eleven?"

"Why not?" I asked. I laughed. "Oh, right, I forgot." I sighed. "Pops drinks like a fishman, though he prefers sake by the barrel. He taught me how to drink, and after a while I started being able to handle it almost as good as he does." I grinned. "I'm a quick learner." I drank from the glass before drinking a little more from the flask. I capped it and set it back on my belt. "And don't say I'm too young, I've heard that before. If I'm going to be a captain, I have to be able to hold my own against the big boys." I grabbed a few onigiri and ate them slowly, enjoying them. "Mmm…" He laughed as he took one and bit into it. I giggled happily. They were sweet onigiri, held together by a light coat of honey, instead of the usually salty onigiri I was used to on the ship. It was sort of a dessert instead of a regular addition to a meal. I loved this type of onigiri over just about any other kind. After finishing the first I licked my lips. "I haven't had these in, I think six, no _eight_ months." Sario ate his slowly before setting it on his plate and filling his cup with water and drinking it. "What's wrong?"

"I prefer my rice balls sour." He said. "Sweet ones are great, but, I just like sour better." I ate mine and grabbed a knife, tilted his onto its side and cut away the part he'd bitten before transferring it. "What are you doing?" I held up my finger as I swallowed the rice.

"If you don't appreciate it, don't eat it." I said. "Finish what you've got though. It'd be rude not to."

"You just took most of it." He said, slightly defensively. I shrugged. "Do you even feel a little bad about that?" I held my index finger and thumb about a tenth of an inch apart.

"Little bit." I said. I took a bite of the one in my hand and smiled.

"You love to eat, don't you?" He asked tiredly. I nodded, still smiling. "And smiling apparently." I giggled as I ate the rest of the ball calmly. "So, why are you here again, exactly? To gather, information?" I nodded and swallowed before leaning forward a little.

"I always like to be prepared for the future." I said quietly. "When I've gotten a good sized crew together, I'm going to find my old captain, I hope." I leaned back. "I'm not sure what happened to him, but I'm positive I can save him, somehow. I just need to find out where he is, how he's being kept, and most importantly, find out how much of his crew is still alive apart from me and him…" I shrugged and grabbed my flask again, opening it. "I always drink a toast at each meal for him, and refill shortly after." I held it up and he held up his cup. "Captain Ben, may you stay safe until I find you."

"And stay put so she can." He added as I started drinking. The addition made me fight a laugh as I lowered the flask, but I soon started laughing, and he joined in. "What?" I wiped my mouth with a napkin.

"I'd never thought of saying that." I said after I stopped laughing. "Oh, maybe that's why I can't find him. He's being transferred from place to place because I'm not hoping he'll stay put." He laughed as I held the flask out. "Here's to you Sario, my new friend." He smiled and tapped his cup against the flask.  
>…<p>

"So, you already have Eternal Poses to, how many islands?" The shop owner asked.

"Thirteen." I said. I held a paper out to him. "Here are the islands I can get to with them so far. Any others would be greatly appreciated." He looked at them for a moment before nodding.

"Yes, these I have, but I only have one other that isn't listed." He said. He was an older man with a long graying beard, hair, and older style half-moon spectacles. He reminded me of a wizard from stories, but not just from his beard and glasses. He wore a long blue robe and a conical hat that was bent at the tip slightly. "Let's see now…" He turned and began searching through several drawers. "Where did I put that… Ah, there we are. Hiding again. You and your brothers, always hiding from me. Making it difficult for me. Don't do that if this young lady decides to take you with her." He turned and carefully set the Pose on the counter. "This would lead you to Ukkari Hot-Spring Island." I smiled.

"Hot springs…" I said quietly. "Sounds nice."

"Expensive, but yes, very nice." He said. "You'd greatly enjoy yourself there. This is one that I have only a few left of, but I've got more on order from a friend. He sends me plenty. I can't let this one go as cheaply as the rest however." I looked it over.

"Thin but durable crystal bubble." I said. He seemed surprised. "Handcrafted oak, and, a very special inlay to hold the bubble in place. Silver?" He nodded. "Yes, this is a very nice Eternal Pose, just like the rest I have actually." I laughed. "I like having ornamental ones because they mean a little more to me that way. I can safely call them my own little souvenirs." He smiled. "So, what are you after for it?" He laughed quietly.

"I'm thinking a good hundred and fifty." He said. I smiled.

"Oh, that's a little low." I said. "Such a pretty Eternal Pose… I'll pay…" I took out my walled and pulled out a few bills. "Three hundred." He was definitely surprised. "I know that it will be more than worth this much, just because of how much care was put into making it." He smiled as I handed him the money. "I'll keep it safe, I promise." He nodded as I picked it up carefully and he set a small metal box down that I put it in. "Thank you."

"You're quite welcome." He said. "I hope to see you again someday." I nodded with a smile and shook his hand before I walked out, putting the Eternal Pose in my pack. I started walking when I spotted a pawn shop nearby so I walked in and looked around. It was full of all kinds of items, many dozens of some things, rare items, and all of it on display. My eyes went wide as I looked around, and my smile even wider.

"Wow." I breathed. "So many, amazing things…" I slowly turned on my heels as I looked around, up and down until a sword behind the counter caught my eye. The woman there was reading a book. She had short red hair and a pair of black wireframe glasses, and she wore a light yellow shirt that was open, and she was clearly not wearing a bra. Just the open shirt. I walked up, only looking away from the sword for a second to spot a barrel of them next to the counter it was on. 'Something, about this blade…'

"Is there anything you see that you want today?" She asked suddenly. I nodded.

"Yes, that sword." I said. "What is it called?" It was clearly a katana, but it was longer than usual by a noticeable amount, but not enough to classify it as a nodachi or anything like that. It was likely an O-katana, a slightly longer variation, but still useable as a proper weapon in battle. She looked at it and grimaced.

"That sword, is one you won't want." She said. "It is called Yami-Reikon."

"Yami-Reikon…" I repeated. "The Dark Spirit." She sighed and picked it up slowly and carefully unsheathed it halfway. The blade was mostly black, with hints of purple along the length of the edge, and it seemed to actually draw in the light from all around it. Intriguingly, it had no guard, but it wouldn't need it.

"Yami-Reikon is considered a Meito sword." She said. "Like the name may suggest, it is a powerful blade, and any true swordsman that can hear the soul, Yami will tell you that he doesn't respect amateurs, and _will_ cause their death." She sheathed it and set it down, but I stared at it. "I won't sell it to you. Yami wouldn't be satisfied with anyone less than an accomplished swordsman, or swordswoman in your case."

"I'm quite capable though." I said. "A chance is all I need to prove it." She scoffed. "I trained under a man that showed me how to cut down a five hundred year old oak with a rusted blade." She looked at me. "Five years I trained under him, and in that time, I've not only learned his techniques, I've adapted them and made them my own. Give me a rusty sword and I'll make it bright, give me a Wazamono and I'll make it shine. I'll take a Ryo Wazamono and I'll make it hum, and an Ō Wazamono will _sing_ in my hand. Yami-Reikon is at least that powerful, correct?" She nodded slowly. "I will prove that Yami-Reikon would accept me as his wielder, if only until he meets a better swordsman that can defeat me." She smiled a little before grabbing a sword from the barrel and held it out. It had a generic looking dark gray scabbard with cuts and pits all over it. The guard was chipped, the pommel was held on by tape, and the handle wrap was fraying all over. It was clearly very old, or it had been used constantly by students at a dojo.

"There is a large stone block outside." She said. "Thick, dense, and very tough. If you can cut through that with this blade, you can have Yami for _free_, and I'll throw in a small ship so you can leave with him later if you go all the way through it." I smiled and took it before following her through the back. As we walked, I saw the stone she mentioned, and it was indeed fairly large, about two feet in diameter. "This stone actually was meant to be used as a whetstone, though it's obviously the wrong kind, but the guy wouldn't take it back, so I just kept it back here, never finding a use for it. If you can cut this block, even partway through, I'll follow through on my bargain." I drew the sword carefully and looked at it. "If it had a name, I don't know it now. It's so badly rusted, no one can fix it." I nodded and spun it over my wrist, focusing my Haki on it so it wouldn't fall apart from the hit, though it would more than likely break afterward. I exhaled slowly as I turned slightly. She moved away as I looked it over.

'Focus the mind, then the body, follow through with the wind.' I thought. The wind was blowing slowly, but after a moment it picked up. "Ishi…" I swung quickly. "Kiri." A line appeared all around the stone after a second as I lowered the rusted sword, which promptly snapped just above the guard, which also cracked and fell away before she walked over and pushed the stone slowly, and it moved back in time with her gasp.

"How did you do that?" She asked.

"I had a good teacher." I said. "The day I cut down that oak, I was actually gathering firewood and decided to go with getting enough for everyone." She looked at the blade as I held it up. "I think he has run his course." I sheathed the last of the blade and held it out to her as she smiled.

"Well, I'm glad to see Yami will be with a good wielder." She said calmly.


	7. The First Mate

**Okay, I know, it's been a while, but I've been busy working on chapters and various research projects. Luckily I have had this chapter ready, and am working hard on my projects.**

**Okay, this chapter is mostly filler, like before… As will the next few. This story may need a bit of set-up time, but it will start going later. So be patient, unless you like a lot of character and story development, in which case, enjoy.**

**Thanks go to TomA62975 for his work checking the chapter over. I won't be bothering him much to check things over due to college work. Preemptive thanks go to Chaotyx, who also has things keeping him busy, so I won't bother him from here. I may go beta-less for a while, so it may speed things up, but there will likely be plenty of things that slip by me, or things I could have done a little better.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, and my friends, TomA62975 and Chaotyx, do not own the rights to One Piece. If I did, well, Luna would appear with her future crew and a few romantic subplots here and there. Thank you, and have a nice day.  
>…<strong>

I stretched my back as I looked out the window. I was leaving later on, and I was hoping to get to another island to buy a proper ship, or steal one if I had a chance. It'd have to be small, but it would be worth the effort, especially if I could get a crew for it quickly. My priority was still information, but having people and friends to help me find it would make the task incredibly easier. The ship itself was just a small dinghy with a single sail, but I had bought a couple of large paddles just in case. It floated just fine, and it would hold at least four people, so that would do for a while. My chest was worth probably a person, and the bags were worth, together, a pre-teen at the most, so I was well within a safe reason. Whether it would get me to the island, I just needed to get within a mile and I could hopefully coast close enough to get there on the chest.

"Hey Luna, any chance you're uh, not doin' anything tonight?" Sario suddenly asked. I looked back at him.

"Sorry, but I do have plans." I said. He seemed somewhat down, but he quickly picked himself up with a shrug.

"Tomorrow then?" He asked. I laughed.

"I'm really sorry, but I'm leaving." I said. He opened his eyes a little wider. "I've got places to go, and there's nothing more I can buy here, and I've looked at every map that's being sold." He shrugged.

"So, you're off to another town?" He asked.

"Another island actually." I said. He stared before laughing.

"You and your jokes." He said. I just turned and leaned back, and he stopped after a few seconds. "Y-you're serious?" I nodded.

"Yeah, I'm off to check for a place where I can get a good travel boat." I said. "I'll need a crew as well, but that's for later. My main focus is a boat, maybe a small ship, and a new set of maps, and perhaps a few more Eternal Pose if fortune favors me."

"So, when are you leaving?" He asked. I let out a breath, shrugged, and turned back to the window.

"Probably right after lunch." I said. "I'll buy some food and hopefully the wind will get me there in a day or two. And hopefully the boat will survive so I can sell it. Pure profit since I got it for free." I shrugged again. "I guess you'll see me off then?"

"Uh, yeah, most likely." He said. "I'll probably get a ticket to go somewhere else." I turned my head. "I'll go check on that I guess." He held up his wallet. "Thanks for this. I'll put it to good use." He lowered his arm, pointing the wallet at me. "I'll see you around." I nodded.

"I hope so." I said. He turned and walked out with a smile so I tapped the sill and stepped back. "Well, I should get supplies, and something to eat." I patted my stomach lightly. "Definitely a good plan." I walked up to the table with my chest and I sighed before opening it and sliding the panel hiding Kuma-chan. I picked her up and looked at her. "Hi sweetie. I'm sorry I had to leave you in there." I was glad Sario was gone. It would have been embarrassing for him to hear me talking in such a soft and motherly voice. I didn't mind when I knew I was alone, but if there were other people, I'd probably turn full-body red. Thanks to my power over the Henkan-Henkan, I'd have little choice. "We're already on our way, so I guess that means we'll have a little while to nap together." I hugged her to my chest and stroked her softly. It didn't matter that I'm twenty one and I still have her, but I couldn't get rid of her. She meant a lot to me, more so because of a few problems when I was younger. "I'm glad you're still with me Kuma-chan."  
>…<p>

"_Here's to you, my favorite daughter." Whitebeard said. He raised the barrel as I raised the dish. It was a fairly small one, but we both knew I had to leave soon. "May your travels lead you where you wish to go, but don't forget that you can always come back to your home, whenever you want to." He lowered the barrel and drank from it as I lowered and drank from the dish. It was the size of a dinner plate, but I was used to drinking from dishes three times the size of barrel lids. When we were finished I lowered the dish and he set the barrel in front of me, so I put the dish on a stand by me. "Take care."_

"_You too." I said. "And thank you, for everything, dad." He laughed and I hefted the chest onto my shoulder. "Goodbye for now." He smiled as I walked onto the small boat. It was just me and the new addition to the crew, a man named Stephen. He wore a light blue and white thick horizontal striped tank-top, loose light blue pants, and sandals, but he had a thick blue wool hat on with glasses sewn on, and it fit over much of his head, only his mouth and eyes visible. "Hey."_

"_Yo." He said. "Ready?"_

"_As I'll ever be." I said. "At least this time it's a little easier to leave home. I don't need to worry about much." He laughed as the boat was lowered._

"_What about Pops?" He asked. "He's not a young man anymore." I laughed as I set my things down._

"_I don't think he'd be happy dying of old age just yet." I said, turning to him. I leaned against the small mast. "He'll be around for another hundred years if that's what he thinks it takes." He nodded as we touched the water, and after the ropes were clear we started moving. It'd take about three or four hours to get to Straeton, but it left time for me to let him know what to expect, if he wanted to know. "So, what do you hope to get out of being a pirate?" He laughed._

"_You'll laugh." He said._

"_Maybe, but that's what family is for." I said. He looked at me, smiling a little. "Whitebeard is pretty much going to be like a father, and the crew is as close as family. So as far as anyone cares, you're my newest brother."_

"_But, you're leaving." He said. I shrugged._

"_It's not like I'm going to become yours or Pops' enemy." I said. "I'm just, striking out on my own. I think he's known for longer than I have. He just, knows about this kind of stuff." He laughed._

"_He seems like a great guy." He said._

"_Grumpy most days, but yeah, he's a really nice guy." I said fondly. "He's nicer than my real father was most days."_

"_Did your real father, beat you or…" He started. I shook my head._

"_No, nothing like that." I said. "No, my dad basically ignored me most days, but when he realized something one day, he just decided to offer my hand in marriage to a boy that was only nine years old while I was thirteen. That's why I left the first time." I looked up. "We parted on good terms, but, I never got a chance to _really_ settle things with him."_

"_Maybe you should head back someday." He suggested. I looked down and shook my head._

"_No, it's too late for that." I said. "I can't even try now." I looked up at him. "What's important is that, you know what's what." He blinked. "Hey, it's not all fun and games… That reminds me, why did you join up?" He laughed._

"_Ah, I was hoping you'd forget." He said. I smirked. "I want to, feel respected. I want to feel like I'm part of something big, important, and I want to be respected for that, if nothing else." I stepped from the mast and smiled._

"_Why would I laugh at that?" I asked. "That's actually a good reason. I'm sure everyone will respect you, and you'll come to see them as family before long."  
>…<em>

I walked down the empty dock, curious as to why there wasn't even a single Marine nearby. I looked around before spotting my boat. As I approached, I heard footsteps, but they were bare. Turning my head, I saw Sario with a pair of swords, one in each hand.

"Sario?" I asked. He stopped and panted.

"Sorry, but I have to do this." He said. "I, I've got my reasons. You and me, we're fighting right now. The Marines are watching over a festival, we've got a free dock, this, _is_ happening." I leaned down and set down the chest, and slipped out of the straps from the bags.

"Sario, I've got to get going, I'm sorry." I said. "If you try to hit me, I'm going to beat you." He readied himself in a somewhat familiar, if sloppy, stance. "You're really going through with this?" He ran over and swung at me, and I dodged him calmly. "Sario!" I jumped back and off of the chest, landing a few yards away. It was tough to detect his attacks. "You're not even trying." He spun and lowered the blades a little, in a different stance, one that was decidedly more practiced. I just sighed and reached up to the kogatana, but I stopped. "You know what…" He stepped back as I drew Yami, slowly. "I do need to get a feel for Yami-Reikon's abilities." I lowered the blade to my side. "Come on then. If you want to spar, I've got a little time." He ran at me and I blocked his two swords, a couple of Wazamono grade swords, but there was nothing that truly stood out apart from the moderate skill that was put into them. Each time he swung one at me, he'd swing the other from a different angle, though all I had to do was turn my wrist just a little to block both. "Did you just buy those? With the money I gave you?" He jumped back and panted quietly.

"I have to fight you." He said. "You're a pirate." I laughed and put the back of Yami on my shoulder.

"And?" I asked. "I saved you from the Marines. They probably would have tortured you."

"You said you need a crew." He said. I nodded with a small smile. "I'm going to beat you, and then, I'm going to be _your captain_." I laughed. "Wh-what?"

"You really think you can best me?" I asked. "I'm not even sweating. You haven't even made me lose my hat." He inhaled deeply and let out the breath calmly.

"I'm going to be a weapon master." He said. "I want to learn how to use _every_ melee weapon in the world, and I need help getting them. Your sword is a great start. It's the perfect weapon for me to stick with." I laughed and looked at Yami for a moment.

"No, I don't think he'd like that." I said. "He's proud, and he wouldn't want to be used by someone who isn't ready to bring out the best in him."

"Who?" He asked. He looked around.

"Yami." I said. "This blade." He looked at me and I laughed again. "If you can't feel and understand the soul of a sword, you're not ready for a blade like Yami-Reikon. He'd lead you to an early grave, I promise you that." He shook his head.

"Weapons are weapons." He said. "They don't have souls." He ran at me and I dodged him before catching both blades in my left hand, making him seize up for a second. "H-how did you, not get your hand cut off?" I let go of the blades and moved back about ten feet, making him jump back in surprise. "What the hell?"

"You're not going to beat me Sario." I said. "You'd best just leave now." He shook his head and ran at me, but before he tried to hit me, he jumped over me, though I allowed him to hit my shoulders. He didn't even scratch my jacket. I turned calmly and he quickly turned to me, swinging fast with his right blade, and his eyes went wide as the blade hit my neck, shattering like a piece of glass as I reached up into my shirt and grabbed my sunglasses. "Sorry. I've got thick skin." He stepped back.

"Th-that hit, should have, decapitated you!" He said quickly. "What, what are you?"

"I'm a pirate." I said simply. "And I've gotten quite good at using Busōshoku Haki."

"Haki?" He asked. "Bu… Busashuku?"

"Bu_sō-sho_ku no Haki." I explained. "Haki of the color of Armaments." He blinked. "Think of it this way. It allows me to make things stronger and more durable, like a sword, or my gloves, or my jacket."

"And your skin." He said slowly. "How, how did you do it?"

"It's not that difficult." I said. "It's a matter of focusing on the purpose." He swallowed and threw down the broken sword, and I sighed as I put the sunglasses on. "Don't disrespect your weapon so callously. It was young." He switched the sword and I sighed before sheathing Yami. "Sario, this fight is over. You can't beat me…" He ran at me and swung faster than I thought he could, but I still caught the blade and drew the kogatana and put it aside his neck, making him once more seize up. "So, give up yet?" He gritted his teeth. "Just because you can hit me without killing me does not mean you can mimic it that fast. It takes at least a few months to learn the basics, and longer to apply it in combat. To reach my level, you'd need to learn it faster than I did, and if you keep fighting, you'll be on the ground before you get a chance to so much as start. Okay?" He nodded just enough to keep the edge of my small blade from cutting his neck open. I took his sword and stepped back, putting my knife away. He sighed and started turning, but as he got halfway turned, I put his sword in the scabbard. "Come on then." He looked at me. "Well, I _am_ looking for a crew, and I _will_ require a master of close range weapons." He stared and opened his mouth, so I held up my hand. "We've got a limited time before the Marines come through, and if they see you out and about without Zabrisa, they might just put two and two together. So, come on." I stepped over and picked up the bags. "Grab the chest and set it on the boat, near the middle." He stammered and I sighed. "Sario, you lost, I won, so you're helping me. That was your plan for me, wasn't it?" He nodded quickly. "So, turnabout _is_ fair play." I pointed to the chest. "Come on, pick it up and get it on the ship. We're heading out." I walked on and set my bags down calmly and listened for the inevitable groan of effort, but I never heard it. "Sario…" I turned as he stepped on, holding the chest by the handles, easily. "Nice work. Four bellhops couldn't pick it up together. Thanks." He sighed.

"Where do you want it?" He asked. I fought a smirk. He _was_ trying, hard, to keep his composure. I gestured to my right.

"Just next to the bags." I said. "Thank you." He set it down as I jumped onto the dock and removed the mooring rope. "Lower the sail Mr. Fanito." He looked at me and I waved to him as I pulled the boards away. As I jumped back on he lowered the sail as I pushed us away from the dock. "It's only a day or so until we get to our destination. We're off, to the island of Keiraia." He nodded as I stepped up to the front and pulled a small compass and looked at it as we got out into the open.

"Did you, pay any docking fees?" He asked. I shrugged.

"Nope." I said cheerily. "Turn us three degrees to port, and keeps us stable." I put the compass away as he turned the small wheel at the back. There wasn't much room to sleep, but we could each take an end. "So, was this what you had in mind?" He looked at me.

"Beg pardon?" He asked.

"You wanted a date, right?" I asked. He nodded. "Well, is this close enough?" He stared before laughing.

"I was thinking a candle lit dinner." He said. "But, yeah, this is alright." I smiled and sat down.

"Sorry then." I said. He raised his eyebrow. "That I don't do dates."

"Wh-why not?" He asked. "Who doesn't date?"

"Me." I said. "You're officially the melee weapons expert and first mate of my crew." I leaned back. "I'll name us after I get a proper Jolly Roger." He sighed. "What?"

"But, why don't you date?" He asked.

"Well, it'd complicate things between us." I said simply. "At first, it was because I knew quite well things wouldn't work out because I'm a pirate, and I'd be travelling all the time. Now, you're my only partner." He sighed as he locked the wheel in place and sat down next to it.

"Well, what should we do to pass the time?" He asked. I shrugged. "How about, you tell me about that trick that made you, Zabrisa?" I thought about it and leaned back a little more, putting my hands behind my head.

"Sure." I said. He blinked. "What? I won't hide something like this from my first mate." He smiled a little. "So, a little over eight years ago, I was part of a pirate crew, the Sea Devils, serving as the cabin girl, though they all thought I was a boy except for Captain Ben. Not an hour in, I went to my quarters, the hold really, and I was told I could eat anything I could find in the barrels, so long as I didn't eat too much. In a barrel of sugar, I found this strange fruit."  
>…<p>

_I walked off of the ship as a few of my family walked with me, mostly to make sure none of the Marines would bother me. I just had to check in on my mother and father, and I'd go back, but they wanted to know in advance if I wanted to stay. There were two good men with me, Redford 'Redeye' Jones and 'Big' Casey Margot. With Redeye, his nickname was obvious, as his eyes were always bloodshot for one reason or another. Big Casey, he was actually just tall, not heavy, but it stuck when he introduced himself as such._

"_Sure you want to do this?" Redeye asked. "You've been with us for two years. We really don't want you to leave us."_

"_I won't leave." I said. "I'm, going to call you my friends, and I don't want my parents to know about, you know." They nodded._

"_Hey, we're just a couple of friends you met at a beach." Casey said._

"_Yeah, we're here to make sure you made it home safe and sound." Redeye said. I smiled and turned the corner, but as I looked toward the house, I stopped in my tracks and shook my head. "Hey, sis, wh-what's wrong… That, isn't…" I ran over to the burned down building, and I stopped at the gate as I looked at the tree in the yard. There were two bodies hanging from a branch, stripped naked. "Sis!" They stopped next to me. "No, th-this, isn't…" I pushed the gate but it didn't move, so I pulled it free and threw it behind me before I ran up to the tree, dodging the hands of the others. I ran past the tree and turned, and I immediately fell to my knees, a deep sorrow overwhelming me._

"_No." I said weakly. "No." It was them, my parents. "Why? Wh-why did they, why…" Casey walked over and helped me up while Redeye looked up at them, removing his headwrap. Before I could say anything more, Casey hugged me, and I responded in kind, crying into his shoulder._

"_I'm sorry." He said. "We'll find out who did this." I stopped crying after a few seconds as he rubbed my back, but I stepped from him, fighting the urge to break down completely._

"_I, I know who, did this." I said quietly. "H-he, took Cap'n Ben."_

"_Y-you mean, Stone?" Redeye asked. I nodded shakily._

"_He knew, my name." I said. "He promised, to give my family, money, for a bounty I didn't deserve." I looked up at my parents. "He, is going to pay for this. They never did anything to deserve this punishment."_


	8. A quick stop

**It's been a few weeks, and I've mostly just been resting and trying to think. The path of a writer is to follow whatever story pops into his or her mind at a given moment, and in my case I get several per day, if not dozens. It can be rather irritating sometimes, to the point that it feels ridiculous. Oddly enough my mind doesn't want to work on Changing Tides all that much lately, or Gallade's Arm. Just practice work mostly, some small work on stories I plan to post, but otherwise, just one practice idea after another.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to One Piece. Thank you, and enjoy.  
>…<strong>

I yawned quietly as I looked out to the sea. Sario was humming to himself at the helm. I didn't recognize the tune, but it was a somewhat happy one. After a few minutes, I slowly got up and yawned into my hand.

"Something wrong, captain?" He asked. I shook my head and turned.

"I'm bored." I said. "There's nothing to do right now. I might take a nap in the crow's nest."

"We don't have a crow's nest." He said. I blinked and looked up the mast.

"Oh yeah." I said quietly. "Well…" I shrugged and sat down before resting on my side. "I guess here will do nicely." I moved my hat as he laughed.

"You sure do sleep a lot." He said. I made a quiet sound as I closed my eyes.

"There's nothing else to do." I said. "I can't exactly practice any of my skills."

"You can do that shapeshifting thing you told me about." He said.

"No point." I said tiredly. "I've mastered all I can of it, and learning anything else requires, just a little too much effort." I moved the hat down a little.

"How does it work then?" He asked. I shrugged.

"I just, think of what I want to look like." I said. "I concentrate on it, control my muscles, and the power that I was bestowed does the rest." I yawned and smiled.

"How long did it take to figure it out?" He asked. I opened my eyes and raised the hat a little so I could look at him.

"A few months." I said. I sat up. "I was on my captain's ship, and I had been trying to figure it out, but I didn't have any real clues."  
>…<p>

"_So, there's nothing about a fruit called the Henkan-Henkan?" Pops asked. I shook my head._

"_Not much." I said. "The only interesting thing is it said that the fruit itself would be an indicator. It kept, changing." He put his hand to his chin. "Other than that, they don't know how to classify it, and any tests they did wouldn't yield any information." I held up the book. It had been 'borrowed' from a Marine science ship a few weeks before I arrived. "The only thing they made primary note of was that the 'test subject' ended up falling over the ship due to an accident that wasn't elaborated on while trying to learn how to control it." I lowered it and he put his hand on the arm of the chair. "But, thank you. I'm sure I'll think of something sooner or later." I put the book in my pack at my side before he laughed._

"_Be sure to tell me when you do." He said. "I'm sure whatever it is you can do, you won't fall overboard… Though if you do, someone'll jump in after you." He leaned forward and patted my head a few times, making me giggle before I reached up and hugged his arm._

"_Thanks pops." I said. He gently removed me and I smiled as I walked away. Less than half a year in and already I was helping around with various things, like cooking or scrubbing the deck clean, and I even got to help keep the swords and other close quarter weapons sharp. I was learning from everyone around me, and my lessons with Haki were coming along 'darn quick', as pops put it. 'I'd better fix my hair. I don't have to pretend to be a boy anymore.' I opened the door to my room and grabbed a comb, immediately working on the trouble spots, and after that I began brushing it carefully. As I closed my eyes, I started thinking. "I hope I start getting a little more muscular soon. I don't want to look weak." My body started tingling for a few seconds, but it happened from time to time when I said something like that. "Just a little more muscle, and maybe I could look like a real pirate." My body tingled a little more and I opened my eyes, instantly halting my work on my hair. My reflection showed that my muscles were noticeably larger, mostly thanks to the dark gray tee shirt I wore. I finished the last brush stroke and set it down and looked at my arms, flexing slightly. "How did this happen? I was scrawny a second ago." My muscles suddenly shrank back to normal and I stared for a moment before a thought occurred. "I wish, my arms were a little longer." My arms tingled and slowly began growing in length. I laughed quietly as I turned and held them out. "Shorter." They slowly shrank back to normal, or close to it. "A little more, back to normal…" When they were the normal length I laughed. "S-so, I just have to think it? Or, say it? This is awesome." I grinned. "Pops is gonna flip. I can…" I looked at my reflection as I lowered my arms. 'Green eyes and hair…' A few seconds went by and my hair started changing from the roots, turning mossy green while my eyes slowly changed from the outside of the iris, equally green, and my grin grew wider. 'Back to normal.' My eyes and hair changed back, but I noticed something. Each time was just a little faster. Not a very noticeable speed, but from the first time, it was a lot faster. 'Cool.' I giggled into my hand and smoothed my hair. "I gotta show the old man." I turned and quickly jogged out of my room, seeing someone walking away from the captain's chair. As I walked around he let out a yawn before he looked at me._

"_What's that grin for?" He asked. "Looks like you're pretty proud for, somethin'." I nodded._

"_I figured it out." I said happily._

"_Figured what out?" He asked, raising an eyebrow._

"_My power." I said. I pointed at my hair. "See my hair? Isn't it long and silver?" He laughed._

"_I think you've finally lost it, kiddo." He said. I smirked as I felt it changing, and he stopped laughing after a second, his eyes widening a little. "How'd you do that?"_

"_Same way my eyes turned red and my skin got really pale." I said smartly._

"_But they're…" He started. He stared as I grinned a little wider. "Well, I'll be a… You can change what you look like." I nodded._

"_Yup." I said happily. "And I think all I have to do is either say it or think it to make it happen, like my muscles are a little bigger." I slowly felt my muscles changing as he laughed._

"_How about that…" He said proudly. "My little girl's already figuring out just what she can do. Now all you need is training so you don't get walloped in a real fight." I smirked._

"_Well, at least I'll look normal in a few seconds." I said. As we laughed, I stopped when the change didn't happen. "Uh, back to normal." I looked at my body, but I didn't change at all._

"_Well?" He asked. "Why aren't you going back to normal?" I shook my head._

"_I don't know." I said. "It happened before… Maybe, something's different. Maybe I didn't change back fast enough." I looked at him as he scratched his head._

"_Well, you look a little stronger at least." He said. "Not quite a little beanpole anymore." I shrugged._

"_Well, I'll figure it out later." I said. "For now, I guess I'll introduce myself around again." He started laughing and I joined in after a second.  
><em>…

"So, you figured it out while you were brushing your hair…" Sario said. I nodded. "And you got stuck?"

"Yup." I said. "Luckily it didn't stop me from growing naturally or I'd look like a kid forever." He shrugged and looked up. "Are we close?"

"I'd say about half an hour if the wind stays with us." He said. He looked at me. "So, you never mentioned what color your hair was. Or, why you didn't just think yourself back to normal."

"Turns out it doesn't work that way." I said. "When I was Zabrisa, I couldn't get stuck like that. You see, from what I figure, the first full body transformation was permanent, like, it was a reset or something. In that move, showing off, I got trapped as a moderately muscled, silver haired, red eyed girl with really pale skin." He nodded slowly. "Any other changes from then on, even full body, are not permanent, nor will they ever be."

"And, your natural hair and eye color?" He asked. I shrugged.

"Does it matter?" I asked. "I can't change back to that look for some reason. But it doesn't bother me." I leaned back. "I like this look. If you hadn't challenged me, and if you hadn't been chased and then rescued by me, would you have remembered me as easily if my hair and eyes weren't silver and red?" He shrugged.

"Probably not." He said. "If I hadn't been chased, we never would have met… And I never would have been beaten by you." I put my hands behind my head.

"What about you?" I asked. He raised his eyebrow. "What's with the feathers? Or, why you've got your sandals tied to your belt? I've shared a little, so, tell me about yourself."

"Well, my sandals are an easy story." He said. "I like walking around barefoot. I can really feel in touch with the earth, and I can run faster without shoes. I slow down at all other times, and I really look where I'm stepping."

"Sounds, nice." I said. He laughed.

"Well, you're the first person to say so." He said. "Most people just think I'm strange or something." I smiled. "And, the feathers… Well, sometimes I write with them, and I have a couple of vials of ink. And I kind of like how they look." He put one hand to the orange feather. "I've got a lot of them, mostly so I can always have two. I think I look good with them."

"You're certainly a memorable figure." I said. "Not many people go barefoot, wear a headband with a metal forehead protector and a pair of feathers behind it. Less would do so with a black vest and slacks." He laughed for a few seconds.

"You know, I thought it'd be a pain being your first mate." He said. "But, I think we'll get along nicely. And, now that I'm your first mate, what do you say we go on a date when we get to the island? Now that we're going to be together, I think it'd be a great way to get to know one another." I shook my head.

"I'm sorry, but, I don't like you that way." I said. He sighed. "I'm really sorry."

"So, that's the real reason for before?" He asked. "At the hotel?" I nodded. After a second he shrugged. "Well, like you said, it's for the best. After all, you're my captain now." I nodded.

"Doesn't mean we can't be friends though." I said. He nodded with a small smile. "Hey, I know that look." He laughed. "I won't let you borrow my clothes. They're tailor-made just for me." He stared before laughing loudly. I just smirked before I heard the ship groan quietly. He stopped as I looked down and a section of the deck cracked and water started seeping through. "That can't be good." We looked at each other. "I don't have anything to fix that, and plugging it with our hands won't slow it down enough." I heard it groan and we looked as it cracked a little further. "Any ideas before I climb the mast to avoid ruining my boots?"

"I've got nothing." He said. I stood up and jumped to the mast, climbing it quickly. "H-hey!"

"Lock the wheel toward the dock." I said quickly. "We're going in. Grab my things and toss them up." I got to the top and stepped onto the arm and turned as he tied the wheel off and grabbed one bag, tossing it up. I caught it and slung it over my shoulder before he threw the other up, which I also caught and put on. "Okay, be careful and don't hurt yourself." He nodded and grabbed the chest before the water reached it, but as it reached his feet he yelped and threw the chest right up at me. I managed to catch it and leaned against the mast. "Watch it!" I looked down and laughed as he started climbing up. I set the chest down carefully and put my boot on top of it to get it to stay, and I looked to the dock. "What do you think, ten minutes?"

"Yeah, about." He said as he slowly made his way up. "The boat should be sunk in about fifteen, if we're lucky." I nodded as he climbed up and sat down. I moved carefully and picked up the chest, moving it toward him. "Wh-what?"

"Hold this." I said. "It can float, but if it falls overboard, you'll have to swim out and find it on your own. I can't swim, at all." He sighed and took it. "How we're to dock this, is entirely beyond me at this point." As we drifted closer I saw people looking at us from the docks, and the boat was finally starting to go under.

"So, what's the plan?" He asked. "How do we get onto the dock?" We began closing the last few feet and the dock master walked slowly toward where I planned to get off.

"I don't know about you." I said calmly. "But, I'm going to do this." I could tell he was looking up as we slowed down right at the edge, and I moved seamlessly from the arm of the mast onto the dock.

"H-hey, whoa!" He called as a small crash shook the dock. I smiled.

"H-hello." The dock master said. "Um, there is a, small fee for, docking?" He looked around at the top of the mast as I heard the chest being set on the dock. I looked back to see Sario climbing up, swinging his leg to pull himself up. "Since, your boat has sunk, I can, impose only the initial fee. Would you, like us to try to salvage it?" I turned to him.

"No, I was going to sell it actually." I said with Sario's accent. "If you want to salvage it for your own uses, I suppose I can make a deal." Sario stood up and grabbed the chest.

"As I can't see it, I can only provide enough to, waive the fee, and pay, five hundred?" He suggested. I held out my hand.

"That sounds fair." I said. He nodded and took my hand before he reached behind him and pulled out several bills and handed them to me. "Thank you."

"Before you go, I have to have your name." He said quickly. "For registry purposes."

"My name is Abigail Lynch." I said. I put my arm around Sario. "This is my brother, Fergal." The dock master wrote our names down as Sario nodded.

"Thank you." He said. "I'll be sure to make good use of your boat. Enjoy your stay." I put the money away and smiled.

"Come on, sis." Sario said. "We'd better find a hotel." He walked past and I followed him. After we left the dock he laughed. "Fergal?"

"What?" I asked with a quiet laugh. "Have you heard your accent?"

"Yeah, I get your point." He said. "Abby." I laughed quietly. "Do you know where we're going?"

"No, but I'm sure there's a hotel somewhere nearby." I said. He laughed.

"Well, maybe I can carry the bags and you take the half-ton weight." He said. I stopped and he looked at me as I removed the bags.

"Okay." I said. He laughed as I set the bags down and took the chest. "Sounds fair." He laughed a bit louder as he picked up the bags.  
>…<p>

I set the chest down and stretched as Sario walked in, looking around. The room was fifty Beri a day, but it wasn't as bad as Sario expected, given that he wasn't complaining. He kept saying that he was really doubtful that the room would be remotely nice.

"Not bad." Sario said. I nodded. "So, what's the plan?"

"Well, I'm going to see if there are any Marine bases nearby." I said. "If there is one, I intend to get some maps using Zabrisa… I want _you_ to look for a small ship that won't fall apart. Don't worry about cost, just tell the person you need time to think about it, and tell me how much it is. I'm willing to sell some of my things for it." He nodded and I put my hand to my chin. "And we'll need a small crew, so, perhaps I can look at the tavern and try to find a few people for it."

"Okay, and, we could use supplies." He said. I nodded.

"Yes, we'll take care of that after we own the ship." I said. "Eventually I want a bigger one, but for now, just look for something sturdy. Appearance only matters if it relates to possible damage and wood rot."

"Sounds good." He said. "After lunch?" I smirked. "Come on, we haven't eaten breakfast yet, I'm gettin' hungry." I shrugged.

"Okay." I said. "But you're on your own for that." I pulled out my wallet and handed him a few decent bills. "I might eat at the Marine base. I've always wanted to try their food." He laughed.

"Geeze, you're insane, you know that?" He said. I nodded as I put my wallet away.

"I'd be boring if I weren't." I said. He laughed louder as I opened my bag with my clothes. "So, I think some more clothes might help as well. I like having a lot of disguises, and I'm running low. I can appropriate things from the Marine base if I have to, using my rank, but sometimes it helps to have other outfits for various occasions."

"It's a good thing you're not a rookie." He said. "Your old man must have taught you well." I nodded.

"Eight years." I said. "My entire time as a teenager and young adult were spent on a pirate ship being taught by my new family in anything I wanted to know. I can cook a decent meal, I can fight among the best, and most importantly, I know how to read a friggin' map." He laughed quietly.

"You're obsessed with maps." He said. I turned to him as I pulled the shirt and pants of the outfit out of the bag.

"Actually, I have a different obsession." I said. He was silent for a second as I went back to the bag. "My biggest obsession is finding a way to swim again."

"Why?" He asked.

"Well, mostly as insurance." I said. "Like I said, I'm a Cursed Girl. If I fall into the sea, or any still water for that matter… Have you heard of the stories?"

"No, not really." He said.

"Well, basically, I 'become a hammer' when I come into contact with standing water." I said. I looked back as he sat down. "I won't be able to move very easily. At first, when it is above my waist, I just slow down and can tread water for a few seconds, but I'll sink pretty quickly, and yes, it has happened before. After it gets above my chest, I begin sinking completely." I shuddered. "When Captain Ben's ship got blown up, I was lucky to find a piece of the deck to hold onto. Without that, I wouldn't be here today."

"So, how long can you float before you start sinking?" He asked. I shrugged.

"Probably ten seconds, fifteen at the most." I said. "I've tried using small tanks of water to train, but no matter what, I just, lock up after my shoulders go under. I sink like, well, a hammer. It's very frustrating. I have to be careful when I take a bath, I kid you not. If I sink to my neck, I'm liable to drown. Otherwise, I just can't change my appearance."

"Well, if you ever fall into deep water, I'll jump in after you, no matter what." He said.

"Thanks Sario." I said quietly. "I just hope you never have to."


	9. Changing the plan

**Good day, it hasn't been that long, but I figured I'd do two posts this week. It's been a while since I've posted for Changing Tides, so here it is. It's another chapter to set things up, meet a few new characters, and give a little information base on what's going to be happening soon. It's a little slow, but the wind-up should be worth it.**

**I don't normally post twice in one week, let alone once on a Thursday and again the immediate Friday after. That said, I just felt like it. So, I hope it's appreciated. And having said that, it's also something of an experiment. I've posted another story for Digimon the past three weeks, and thus far it's gotten little notice, and no reviews. If you like Digimon, maybe you'll like it. Please, check it out, review, maybe recommend it to a Digimon fan you think might like it. And yes, I'm going to be promoting it in my other stories until it picks up.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to One Piece. Thank you, and have a nice day.  
>…<strong>

"Here you are, ma'am." The corporal said. "The most up-to-date maps we have of Paradise, and… The New World." He put two maps down. "Paradise catalogued by Lieutenant Stan Bellison, and the New World by… Commandant, M.S.?"

"New guy?" I asked. He shrugged.

"No idea." He said. "We've gotten a few. Only uses his initials, sends them through some young kid with a habit for, being _really_ creepy." I shrugged and leaned forward, looking at the maps. "So, I don't know if I can give you these just yet. I need my CO to confirm that it's okay." I reached up and tapped the insignia on my shoulder. "Uh…"

"_Lieutenant Commander_ Zabrisa Lunari, private sector." I said. "These maps are now considered classified, top secret, and will be taken in by me. Any and all copies are to be turned over as well." He nodded quickly and went back as I looked over the maps. There was as bit more information than I usually got on both, but the one by the Commandant was a massive step up from the usual. It was at least a hundred and twenty miles further in than any other I'd found yet, with more islands located, some marked uninhabited, but a few with villages which would likely be 'adopted' into the World Government sooner or later, but more than likely sooner. "This Commandant is brave. Went in a lot further than most dare to dream of… He must be looking for something."

"Yes, from what I understand, he's seeking a Devil Fruit." He said. "Not much, just a bit of scuttlebutt here and there, you know how it goes." I nodded.

"Yeah." I said quietly. I tapped a spot on the New World map. "This island is new. Not far out from here." He looked over.

"I hear it's nice." He said. "Full of very nice people from the reports they sent in… Would you like those as well?" I nodded.

"Yes, I'll need all the data you've got." I said. "We're going to make sure everything is within regulations. Scuttlebutt says that the newly discovered islands are possibly being hoaxed so that the crew that discovered and logged them can get a bonus on their commission." He put a bag down and set down several folders. "Is this absolutely everything?" He nodded and put his hand on the bag.

"Even the carbon copies." He said. "Any and all information runs by me, and I make sure I know everything about it all." I nodded and put the folders in the bag.

"You'll forget everything about these." I said. "Unless these are returned, they were never here, and I'm just a figment of your imagination if anyone asks. Just a nameless LT asking for the latrine." He nodded as I picked up the bag and stood up. He followed and saluted, and I returned the gesture. "As you were." He turned and went to work as I walked out of the room. 'This is getting easy… But next time I'm using another name. Twice in a row is flat out pushing it.' As I made it to the entrance I heard a crash.

"Hey, get back here!" A man yelled. I looked to my right and saw a man running at me with a pistol in his hands, and he turned and fired. "Stop him! Deserter!" The shooter looked ahead and dropped the pistol as I switched the bag. I couldn't blow my cover by looking the other way on this.

"Out of my way, bitch!" He called. I narrowed my eyes as I lowered my hat slightly. As he got close enough he went to push me, but I stepped in and punched him in the gut, hard, and I raised my arm to continue my assault by hitting him in the jaw with my elbow, throwing him into the wall. As he tried to recover I raised my foot and put the heel to his throat. "Y-you…" I pushed slightly harder and he choked quietly.

"Desertion, discharging a firearm on a fellow Marine, and assaulting an officer." I said plainly. "And calling me a _bitch_ certainly won't help you." He grabbed my leg and I glared at him. "Consider a discharge a miracle."

"The Marines are, evil." He groaned. "Killing innocents in, in the n-name of, Absolute, Justice… Allowing, slavery… And, and worse! I, I won't, be a part of it… They, won't let me leave, s-so, I'm, going, on my own!" I narrowed my eyes further as an officer ran in, the CO of the base.

"What the hell is going on here?" He asked angrily. "I heard a gunshot!"

"This man wants to leave, and apparently you won't let him." I said. "He accidentally discharged his firearm and tried to push me aside." I lowered my leg and he grabbed his throat as the exits were closed off.

"A deserter, eh?" The CO asked. "Well, this won't do at all. I believe I'll see you _hanged_, ensign." The man's eyes went wide.

"Sir, if I may make a suggestion." I said. They looked at me. "I believe that his reasons are his own, and he just wants to leave. Why not give him what he wants? Dishonorable discharge, that's what he's after, so I say let him have it. No one would listen to his foolish talk, and no one would trust him if you made it known. Keep him from being able to buy passage off of the island, and he can't cause dissent."

"Yes, better to show him as a liar instead of making him a martyr." He said. "What is your name?"

"I'm afraid that's classified." I said. I turned as he stared. "Let's just say that I was never here, and this was your idea. Anyone who says otherwise will get a free trip to map the New World in a rowboat."

"U-understood." He said.  
>…<p>

I walked into the room and set the bag down on the bed, wondering where Sario was. So far I hadn't seen him, and I had to go by the shipyard. I expected to see him, but he wasn't there.

"Where could he be?" I asked musingly. I sighed and pulled the maps and files out, setting them on the bed before opening the first map. "Now, what islands have been added?" The door suddenly opened and I turned to see Sario with his sword drawn.

"Thought you'd catch…" He started to yell. He stared at me and sighed. "Can't you leave a message for me if you know I'm not in?"

"I didn't know you weren't." I said. "The lady at the desk never said anything." He shook his head as he sheathed the blade.

"How long have you been in?" He asked. "Obviously not long enough to change out of that uniform." I looked at it and shrugged.

"I just got in a minute ago actually." I said. "And I have new maps." He laughed as he walked over with my other bag. He held it out and I quickly grabbed my primary map. "Thank you." I turned back and opened it under the one I'd just gotten. "Some new islands have been found in both the New World and Paradise, so I think I'll make note of them." I turned back as he started to lower it, but I reached in. "I need my cartography kit." He raised it as I grabbed a small red oak box.

"So, you're going to add the new ones yourself?" He asked. I nodded and grabbed my personal map and jumped onto the middle of the bed, turning and sitting cross legged as I turned the new map around. I quickly went to work at copying what I saw. "So, how long will this take? I've got some news, and pictures." I stopped after getting a third of the outline of the first island down and looked up at him. He pulled out three pictures and threw them onto the maps. I grabbed them and looked them over. "Three good ones, and, I like the blue one the most out of them. I looked around and didn't see anything, but I don't know much about ships." I looked at the first one, the blue one he mentioned. It was a caravel, which instantly made me think for a moment. The sails were in good shape, and it looked freshly painted. That meant either it was being taken care of, or it had rot all over the outside. That and the absence of barnacles made me wonder if they were taking good care of it or if it was for appearances, or if it was recently built. "So, what do you think?"

"I think I'll pass on it." I said. "A light caravel with a decent possibility of the paint being used to hide something is too much to chance. I'll look at it, but if I see any hints of rot or damage to the wood, I'm going to pass on it." I moved it beyond the map and picked up the second picture, one of a grayish blue barquentine. It was bigger, and would no doubt carry more men, but I was more wary of this one than the caravel. This one had peeling paint, revealing obvious signs of age. A few spots where the wood was clearly worn by the elements and time. I put it to the side. "I don't trust this one either. This one, I know it's old, probably nearing the end of its use. They'll probably bring it in soon anyway, take it apart, dry the wood out, and have a bonfire." He sighed.

"Well, I said I don't know a lot about ships." He said. "I can steer a small boat, but anything much bigger than a dhingy and I doubt I could do much." I grabbed the last one slowly and tilted my head. It was a very dark green brig with light green sails. It was slightly shorter than the usual ones I'd seen, but it also had one more deck than I usually saw on them.

"Sario, why is there a brig there?" I asked.

"Huh, oh, it wasn't." He said. "I found a guy at the dock selling it. He said he was going to get rid of it to make money for his family, since he doesn't like going out to sea anymore. He decided he was about done with it." I looked up at him. "He isn't asking too much for it. Two million Beri, and he's got cannons he'll let us keep. I like the blue one better though. I wouldn't have to walk around as much and I doubt it'd take as much work for you to command." I looked at it.

"What did he name it?" I asked. He laughed quietly. "What?"

"He named it The Wandering Hunter." He said, still laughing quietly. I tilted my head again and looked at it.

"Actually, that is somewhat fitting." I said. "I am hunting for my captain, and it may involve a good deal of wandering." He laughed again. "Two million?" I looked up as he nodded. "I'll take a look inside. Even if it is damaged a little, I think that any repairs necessary would be an investment, not maintenance, as the other two would have." He nodded as I stared at the picture. "I like it. I think we can afford it… I _will_ need to make a trip to a pawn shop to trade in some of my treasures, but, again, that is an investment."

"Treasure…" He said. "The stuff in the chest, you mean?" I nodded and put the picture of the Wandering Hunter to the side and went back to working on updating my map. "Are you sure you have enough?" I scoffed.

"I offload ten pounds, we'll have more than enough." I said. I slowly traced the outline of the island. "In fact, I'll put thirty pounds in so we can pay the crew to join right away. We'll need, maybe three days to take care of everything, but that should be okay, I hope… So long as the shop owner doesn't ask if I'm the original owner." He was silent. "And yes, I stole it, eight years ago. I was part of a pirate crew after all. A big bag full of gold and jewels, stuffed it all into the chest carefully, and made sure everything stayed safe. Somehow the chest floated up when the ship sank, and I've been lucky to have amassed a decent pile of things, trading with my family to get more things, nicer things… I'm willing to part with some of it if I can get enough money for the ship and enough to hold our crew in place for a few weeks."

"How will we keep paying them?" He asked. I shrugged.

"I'm willing to take a chance and get the money from the Marines." I said. "They have vaults, and I know they keep their payroll there. My plan, is to sneak in, take a good chunk, and leave with no one the wiser. How I'm going to do that, well, I'll make it up as I go." I changed my hair back to silver and cleared my throat. "I think it'll all work out." I moved onto the third island.

"Uh, yeah, I guess." He said. "So, lunch? I can order room service."

"I'll wait, but you go ahead." I said. "I want to go out and find somewhere with a nice big menu, you know? Cursed Girl, I need a big meal… I'll stop off by the pawn shop with some of my things and I'll see what kind of deal I can get, and then I'll get something." He nodded as I worked on my map. "I'll be here for another hour or so, and then I'm taking a shower."

"Okay then." He said. "I'll bring something up though, a snack to hold you over." I smiled.

"Thanks." I said. He walked out while checking his wallet. "Let's see… Nambatris Island…"  
>…<p>

I walked up to the dock with my wallet a lot heavier than it was before, but the Wandering Hunter was being looked at by a number of Marines. That was never a good sign. As I got closer, something in the air felt strange. It was like something really bad was going to happen.

"I like it, but is it really only worth two million?" A muffled male voice asked.

"It is worth more, but I am retiring, and have nearly enough to live on for a while." Another man said. He sounded nervous. "The two million will, cover additional costs, taxes over a few years, and if I'm lucky, I can find a nice house to live in." I slowly walked over and saw part of a strange glass bubble on someone's head, and a strange bit of curled hair with a bulb.

"It would serve the purpose of getting me home…" The muffled man asked. "But I shudder to think of how long it will take to decontaminate it. How large was the crew?"

"Forty five skilled men." The owner said.

'This jerk wants my ship?' I thought. 'Bubble man wants a ship? He's got Marines, so he can have them ferry his royal bubble-ness around.'

"Is the captain's quarters large, at least?" The bubble asked. "I require at least six hundred square feet and a proper king size bed." I could feel the owner shifting.

"It, is only two hundred and thirty square feet." He said. There was a silence for a few seconds. "N-no, please!" A gunshot rang out and I heard the man cry out in pain.

"Kill him." The bubble said. I clenched my fist as I changed my appearance to look several years older, but with green eyes, short hair, slightly thinner eyebrows, and subtle changes to my face. "And burn this worthless boat." There was another shot as the Marines cleared a path, and a World Noble stepped out calmly. I stepped aside, removed my hat, and bowed as he walked by. I knew better than to do anything stupid, though I fought the urge to try to cut him in half, and he stopped. "You, silver haired commoner, rise." I stood up calmly as he looked me over and snapped his fingers. "Find the ship owner's money and give it to her, posthaste." He turned to me. "Tell me, woman, where is the shipyard? I require a proper vessel." I smiled and turned slightly, gesturing.

"A short walk down this path, milord." I said kindly, using Sario's accent. "I sincerely hope you find something worthy of your divine countenance." He smiled slightly before snapping his fingers again.

"Captain." He called. A Marine walked up quickly.

"Your eminence." He said.

"Give this woman something expensive." The noble said. "Worth at least three million, but not more than fifteen." He walked away with dozens of Marines in tow as I carefully returned my hat. The captain walked up to me and pulled out a notebook.

"Your name, please?" He asked.

"Abigail Lynch." I said calmly. He wrote the false name down and looked at me before a picture was taken by another Marine.

"Okay, seeing as his eminence has taken a small liking…" The first one said. "I'm inclined to give you the higher end of his generosity." He gestured for me to follow, and I did so, slowly, as I looked up at the ship while it was being doused in some kind of flammable liquid. "As you have a sword, I expect you have some skill?"

"Yes, I'm actually quite the swordswoman." I said. "Studied for the better part of eight years under my dad's friends. Great guys." He nodded as a large chest was opened, and I nearly fell over. "Oh, that's why you asked." There were several swords, obviously cared for.

"He collects swords he thinks look nice." He said. "The ones that prove more functional than fashionable are given as rewards to common folk, such as yourself, who manage to please him, or those he likes. Odds are he thinks you are very lovely, which you are, and he wishes to praise you for that. Choose whichever ones you like. Mind the tags though, as I'll have to get some other chests to find decent things for you to take." I slowly walked over and knelt by the chest, my eyes widening slightly.

"Some of these look reasonably well crafted." I said.

"He has an eye for quality, among other things." One Marine said. I slowly looked through, grabbing some swords and unsheathing them calmly. "Well?"

"Well, quality isn't in fancy looking blades." I said. "This one though." I picked the blade up and drew it halfway. "Very good. Ryo Wazamono… Ookawa Sousha… My brother could use this." The blade was highly polished to a mirror finish, very high quality steel, and the edge of it was incredibly sharp. "Yeah, he'd like this one." I looked at the tag. "One million… I've got a long way to go." The Marines laughed.

"He got that from a pawn shop he was passing by." The captain said. "He thought it'd look nice, but when he couldn't use it, he said to put it away. He thinks using a sword is easy, just picking it up should give the user skill equal to what it takes to use it at its best."

"Well, to each their own belief in life." I said. "That's what my old man used to say." They laughed again as I set the Ookawa down gently. I picked up a few more and looked them over until I found a very nice one. I couldn't do more than whistle. "Ō Wazamono… Kurobuchi. Black edge…" I drew it and tilted my head slightly. "Well, the name says a lot. A beautiful obsidian black edge on an otherwise silvery blade."

"And only two million." He said. "Perhaps jewelry to cover the rest?"

"I don't wear much jewelry." I said. "I prefer function over fashion." I touched my kogatana and gently slid my finger along it. "Necklace knife." I tilted my head as I looked at the other blades for a few minutes.

"Nothing?" He asked.

"One for me, one for my brother." I said. "I just can't find others that I could work with. Besides, he's got one sword, I've got one, and using two at once is enough." I picked the swords up and secured them next to Yami.

"Well then, I have a proposal." The noble said. I turned and went to bow when he held up his hand. "I am leaving on a Marine vessel since the shipyard has nothing I care to call worthy. Consequently, I will not have any room for some of my luggage, of which I have enough, for now. Keep these swords. I must also leave another behind." He snapped his fingers. "The burgundy chest is yours." A second chest was set down. "Good day." He turned and walked away as I stepped back a little. The rest of the Marines left as I turned to the chests.

'Could this day get any stranger?' I wondered.

"Captain, I want you to shut down the shipyard." The noble said. "Scuttle all of the damaged ships, especially the blue one with all of the dry rot. I want to see that one personally." I bit my lip but looked at the chest as a new plan started forming.

'If the Marines take my ship from me…' I thought. 'I guess I'll take one from them.'


	10. Getting a crew

**It took me a little while to remember that it was Friday. I just woke up and I'm playing Mass Effect 3 for the second time through. Beat it last night, over twelve hours ago, and I'm more than happy with how it turned out that time. But enough about an awesome game, this is Changing Tides… Well, _On_ Changing Tides. Apparently there's another One Piece story by the title of Changing Tides, so I changed the title to avoid confusion. Be it mine or someone else's.**

**This chapter sets things in motion. In the coming few chapters things are going to get a little action. Everything up until the next two chapters is to set things up for the start of Luna's age of personal piracy. She'll be getting her starting crew and ship soon. So far it's been her and Sario, but now, she's going to make some new friends and use a plan she probably hadn't wanted to use… Maybe. She might have wanted to, somewhere in her mind.**

**Also, while I'm here, please review. I like hearing your thoughts on how I'm doing, how things should go. Come up with an OC, friend of the crew or foe. I also want any ideas for islands and towns on them. I don't have a custom preference for it but I might make one if enough people ask for it. Also, ideas of what they'd do on that island would be appreciated. Go there for a new crewmember or a potential treasure, weapons, even to destroy a Marine base or possibly even bust out a new crewman.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do not own the rights to One Piece. They're doing perfectly well without me messing things up… But how cool would Luna and her future crew be in a few episodes, helping out Luffy and the gang?  
>…<strong>

I walked into the room, the two chests in front of me as Sario stepped back. He stared as I set them down and stretched my back.

"Luna, what, is all of this?" Sario asked.

"Ran into a World Noble." I said bitterly. "He killed the owner of the ship we were after, and had it burned. He also shut down the shipyard because he couldn't find a ship with a big enough bedroom for him. He's going with the Marines, and they couldn't take on all of his luggage, so he gave me these for pointing him to the shipyard."

"Uh, that's, generous." He said. I turned and took one of the swords from my side and held it out. "What's this?"

"Ookawa Sousha." I said. "A Ryo Wazamono. It was in the chest, and I thought you'd like it." He slowly took it and drew it, his eyes going over the blade for a few moments.

"It's, very nice." He said. "River Runner?" I nodded as he looked at me.

"I'm sure you'll get a lot of use out of it." I said. "If you want to master a good blade, then this is definitely one you'll like." He slowly finished drawing it and he spun it over his wrist. "We'll have to practice once we get a ship though."

"But, you said that the noble had the shipyard closed." He said.

"True, but that just means I have to fall back on an old plan." I said. "I always knew it might come to this, but I hoped against it. The Marines have very nice ships…"

"Whoa, you're not saying what I think you're saying." He said quickly. "Are you suggesting we _steal a Marine ship_?"

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting." I said. He lowered the sword as he stared. "I've had it planned out since before we met, before I left Pops' ship. I knew I'd need a crew, and I've got a great idea. While I was at the Marine base earlier I stole a uniform of a little higher rank." I turned and knelt by the sword chest. "But I want you to know something. All of these swords, are yours to train with." I opened it and he gasped.

"Holy, Luna, h-how many swords are there?" He asked.

"About twenty." I said. "Counting the two I took out." I put my hand on my new blade. "Kurobuchi, the same grade as Yami, though he's not a Meito blade. I feel they will work in harmony though… I hope. If not, I'll have to use one at a time."

"What, difference would it make?" He asked.

"Well, Kurobuchi feels a little lighter than I'm used to." I said. "Using two different weight blades can really change how you fight. That's a basic lesson…" I looked over at him. "Did you have anyone to teach you, or did you learn entirely on your own?"

"M-mostly on my own." He said. He sheathed his new sword and put it on his left side above his other sword. "I kind of got some training when I was younger, but I got kicked out of the dojo because, I was impatient. I was learning fast, but they wouldn't teach me anything until everyone had learned the lessons I had, so I got mad, challenged the basic instructor… And I got beaten. I thought I was better than he was because I had learned more than the other students, made a fool out of myself, and, I knew enough that I could practice, but, I guess I really have a lot to learn…" I laughed quietly and leaned back as I turned completely, ending up sitting up against the sword chest.

"I get it." I said casually. "You want me to spar with you so you can get better." He laughed. "I'll throw in a little advice where I think it's necessary, but you didn't do too bad last time." He smirked.

"Thanks." He said. "So uh, what's in the other chest?" I shrugged.

"I have not looked yet." I said casually. He laughed quietly as I got up and closed the sword chest, sitting on it as I moved the burgundy one in front of me and turned it around.

"How heavy is it?" He asked.

"I'd say three hundred pounds or so." I said. "I have no idea what could be in it though."

"Whoa, three…" He started. "You know what, forget it. You're super strong, that's all I need to think about when you act like any weight is nothing." I opened the lid and raised it, and my jaw dropped. "What, what is it?" He walked over and looked, and he started scratching his head. "Is that, a treasure chest full of dresses?" I smiled as I pulled a beautiful silk dress out. It was black, slim, with wine red embroidery. "Uh, that's, nice, I guess."

"Nice?" I asked. I stood up and held it to my body. "It's a nearly perfect fit right now. All I need to do is make my body a little slimmer and it will fit like a _glove_. And it's beautiful. This is worth at _least_ fifty thousand Beri." He leaned forward.

"Fifty _thousand_?" He asked. "For a dress?"

"This was probably tailor made for a World Noble." I said quietly. "I'm _definitely_ wearing this if I hear about a high class party. It's perfect." I looked at it as he sighed.

"Well, there are more." He said. "At least twenty dresses, if not thirty." I smiled.

"Ten, with matching shoes and gloves." I said. He looked at me as I felt the material. It was worth every Beri, easily. "A World Noble woman would _never_ wear the same dress twice. I doubt these were worn once, but that's okay. She won't care. Five hundred thousand Beri on the dresses, another hundred thousand worth of shoes, maybe another ten on the gloves." I moved in a slow dance for a few moments. "She won't care. She'll pay double all of that for just one that's better than these. She might not have even liked them." He sighed.

"Well, I can't wait for the party where you wear that one." He said. I smirked.

"If I invite you." I said slyly. He laughed as I walked over and gently put it over a set of silk gloves.

"So, what now?" He asked after a minute.

"Well, the swords are yours, so you carry that…" I said, stopping at the end. "Wait, why does this thing weight three hundred pounds if it only has a few dresses in it? That doesn't make sense."

"I don't know." He said. "Heavy silk?" He laughed as I picked up the black dress and its matching gloves and shoes, and he stopped quickly. "I-is that, what I think it is?"

"Solid gold bars." I said reverently. "He gave me, _solid, gold, bars!_" I squealed happily. "These are worth, at least three hundred thousand apiece. Look at the size of them…" I looked at the space between the ones I could see and I scoffed. "Tch, gypped. There's only five."

"That's still one and a half million." He said. I pointed at my travel chest.

"I've been sitting on twenty for eight years…" I said. "Well, now it's more like fourteen million… But still." I put the dress back. "I guess this kind of pays back for the stuff I sold. Not a lot, but altogether, I guess I didn't lose a great deal."

"But you still have the money from what you sold." He said. I shrugged.

"And that goes to the crew." I said. "We need at least thirty men, and that equates to two hundred thousand each."

"What about me?" He asked.

"I gave you a sword worth a million." I said.

"A mil…" He started. "A million Beri sword?" I waved casually as I closed the chest.

"Don't make a big deal out of it." I said. "The new crew will flip if you tell them what our swords are worth. You know, we can give them some of these swords, if they prove worth it… Man, I hope there are enough people willing to be pirates."

"Hey, I'll go around the bars and look for decent people." He said. "Uh, what, qualities are we looking for?"

"Well, they can't be particularly, cruel." I said. "I won't command anyone that kills innocents. We may be pirates, but there will be a general code of conduct, a code of honor. We'll protect the innocent, and steal from Marines whenever we have the chance." I leaned back a little. "Thing is, stealing a Marine ship… We can't do it right there in the yard, or they'll definitely scuttle it. We have to get onboard one, and then kill the crew after they leave port… Then we need to get it refitted, remove anything useless, keep the uniforms for later… This may require a few hours of planning, maybe a day or so."

"A day?" He asked. "Okay, no, we'll need _weeks_." I scoffed.

"I've already got the basic idea down." I said. "The only thing missing is a crew and a way onto the ship. It'll be a while before we can use it, but trust me, this should work easily." He grumbled.

"Well, what about dinner?" He asked. "You didn't eat anything, right?" I put my hand to my stomach.

"Good point." I said. "I don't think right when I'm hungry." He laughed as I closed the chest. "Let's go get something and we'll come back here to think."

"Sounds good." He said. "The steaks are great here."  
>…<p>

"You were right." I said. "These are great." He laughed as I ate another large piece.

"I told you." He said proudly. He had ordered the surf and turf, and I had once more picked a large meal that left most of the other diners watching me chow down. I just laughed as I ate. "So, what's it like having a massive appetite but never gaining an ounce of weight?" I swallowed the piece of steak and shrugged.

"Kind of a double edged sword." I said. "My body requires a lot of calories, far more than any normal human, and though I store more calories and nutrients, it also means I can also burn through it faster than I should." I started on my fifth, and last, steak. "But it lets me train longer thanks to all of the energy I get from all of the stored calories." I ate calmly while he laughed and drank some water.

"Well, ups and downs, like the waves of the ocean." He said. I nodded as people finished their meals and left.

"Yeah." I said. "You know, I meant to ask about your bounty on the other island." He nodded and leaned forward a bit. "A million Beri, and they had questions… What was it really about? They wouldn't put a bounty out just to bring you in to ask if you saw someone kill an officer, and you wouldn't run." He sighed.

"I didn't just see someone murder the officer." He said quietly. "_I_ killed him." I tilted my head and he looked at his plate. "The guy was, scum. He was collecting taxes, but he was going _way_ too far with it. I found out that he was keeping about a tenth of it to keep them in debt, and to fill his pockets. The worst part was, one young woman who had just left her family was being taxed really bad, and when she couldn't pay… He tried to, make her pay with her _body_." I sighed.

"Another reason why I hate Marines." I said quietly.

"So, I knocked out his assistant, and tried to kill him with his sword." He continued. "He broke it, and when he went to stab me I rolled aside, he got the sword stuck in the floor, so I kicked him back, pulled the sword out, and ran him through. After that, they started chasing me and…"

"Caught you after I helped you." I said. He laughed sheepishly.

"Uh, actually, I got caught, trying to buy lunch." He said. "The guy turned me in, and I knocked out about five of the Marines before they got me. Then, you showed up as they were taking me in to execute me, even if they didn't realize it." I smirked. "Thanks again for that. I never thought someone would do something like that for a guy like me."

"I hate Marines." I said. "You know that much. They tried to kill me, they took the crew that got me started in this life, and I never found out what happened to them."

"Eight years though." He said. "You couldn't find anything at all?" I sighed.

"No, that's just it." I said. "Couldn't find a thing about the captain that took my old captain." I grabbed my canteen and opened it. "I really wish I could get one lousy clue, but so far, eight years and a whole lot of nothing." I took a deep swig and sighed as I lowered it.

"Maybe if you didn't drink so much?" He suggested. I put the cap on.

"I drank more than this on a regular day with pops." I said. "It takes a lot to get me drunk these days. When I was younger though, two pints would knock me out and leave me with a hangover the size of East Blue." He laughed as I put the canteen back. "So, any ideas on how to sneak onto a Marine ship?"

"Uh, no, I thought we were waiting." He said. I leaned back a little.

"I've been thinking the whole time." I said. "And I think the best thing to do would be for me to use a new disguise. I'll let you use another one I've got. You'll be an ensign, and I'll be a Commander. That's the best rank I've got so far, but by saying that I'm in the private sector, they generally don't question my orders. All I have to say is my orders go over their heads and I can get away with murder on their bases." He was silent as I looked at my plate.

"Uh, have you done that before?" He asked quietly. I nodded.

"Once, when Pops asked me to." I said. "It was to rescue one of my brothers and he wanted me to prove myself to the rest of the crew." I moved my hand like a pistol and swiped my thumb down. "One shot, at a good distance. No one saw me sneak in and give him the spare outfit I'd stolen." He laughed quietly. "I'm stealthy, when I want to be. Normally, there's not much call, but if I don't want to be found, it's difficult to pick me out of a crowd."  
>…<p>

I walked into the bar and there was a moment where I felt eyes on me as I walked over to the bartender, Sario moving toward the stage where several women were dancing in a very, risqué manner. The quiet was broken when they cheered, and I looked over to see a woman discarding the top part of her dress, which landed in Sario's hands. He just leaned against the stage happily as the woman winked at him. I laughed as I turned back to the bartender.

"You know that guy?" He asked.

"That's my brother." I said. "He was adopted recently, but he's a good guy. Harmless, I think." He laughed quietly until I moved a small coin into his view, carefully. "I'm looking for a crew. I need at least twenty good men, maybe thirty. Any potential folk like me and my brother?" He gestured toward a table with men in dirty clothes, but I saw potential in some, but my gaze was drawn to a man drinking sullenly nearby them. "Who's that?"

"Sten Bridges." He said. "Dishonorably discharged a couple days ago for trying to desert. Got his wish, can't leave port because he was running a drug ring, or so the Marines said. I don't believe it, but he just wants to leave. Said he'd go pirate if a captain'd take him on. He's better than you'd think, but he both blames and thanks some, lieutenant commander for getting him discharged, and she saved his life." I nodded. There were twelve men at the corner, and I hoped they'd be worthwhile. "That coin, is it really from…"

"Yeah." I said. "It's from him. Considered me his favorite daughter, taught me to drink… Speaking of, what's Sten drinking?"

"Thinking of recruiting him?" He asked. I nodded and he set a glass down. I looked to see a cheap ale, so I pushed it back.

"Top shelf." I said. "Three." He smirked as he pulled out a couple of bottles and showed them. "The Bordeaux." He nodded and handed it to me, along with two glasses. "And no, I'm not trying to seduce him… Third glass?"

"If _he_ taught you to drink, I expect they'll get one glass while you polish the bottle off." He said. I smirked.

"I like the way you think." I said. "But, I prefer rum." He nodded and put out the third glass and pulled out a bottle of rum. "Send it later with my brother." I walked over to the table with Sten as he sighed, and I set the glass down in front of him.

"This table's taken." He said.

"So I see." I said. I sat down as I uncorked the bottle. He looked up as I sniffed it quietly. "Good stuff."

"Go away." He said. I poured a glass and moved it in front of him as he looked at me. "What do you want?"

"I've heard about your discharge." I said. He scoffed.

"Let me guess, you get off on guys who got kicked out of the Marines." He said.

"No, but I am _looking_ for someone who knows about Marine ships." I said. He looked at his drink before looking at the wine while I poured a glass for myself. "I know the woman that got you discharged." He looked up at me. "You were an ensign, a commissioned officer. This tells me you know what you're doing, and you're a cut above the rank and file."

"Yeah, what of it?" He asked warily. I gently raised my glass and sipped some of the wine.

"I'm putting a crew together, and I need to know I can count on them." I said. "I also need to know more about the Marines in general. I know a lot, but just what I've seen. Knowing the ins and outs of the system would definitely help me a lot more than knowing where to put my medals and when to put on or take off my hat or who to salute." He slowly took the glass I had set by him. "Now, I want you to be quiet for a moment, because this will either make you laugh, or question my sanity, but this is completely serious." He nodded slowly. "I plan to steal a ship." He opened his mouth and I held up my hand. "Be calm, and don't draw attention."

"You're insane." He said quietly.

"But I was right about you questioning my sanity." I said. "But no, I've got a plan, though it's rough, and I intend to start this soon, if I can get things done right. So far, I want to sneak my crew onboard somehow, and take the ship out for a day or so, and then I'm going to kill the Marines onboard and take over." He laughed quietly.

"Give me one good reason why I should _believe_ you." He said.

"I can get you off of this island." I said. "The bartender said you were willing to go pirate." He opened his mouth but stopped. "And the reason you should help me, is because _I_ was the woman that got you discharged instead of _hung_." He scoffed and I made my face change, and he slid his chair back slightly as I smiled.

"Y-you're…" He stuttered.

"A cursed pirate." I said calmly. My face returned to normal and I finished the wine before pouring the third glass. "I've trained under the best, and I'm skilled enough to handle a larger crew than I intend to have now, but I need a ship before I do anything."

"B-but, why, did you help me?" He asked.

"Because you would have died, and anyone that hates the Marines is okay by me." I said. "Anyone deserting them for knowing the truth though, I think you'll be helpful." He looked at the third glass as Sario suddenly set a bottle of rum down beside me and sat down.

"What now?" He asked. "Your first mate?"

"Actually, yeah." Sario said. "Got a problem with that?" I laughed as Sten drank his wine in one gulp.

"How were the girls?" I asked.

"Brilliant." He said fondly. "I just wish were weren't leaving so soon. I think I had a chance with Sarah, the redhead." I smirked.

"Well, if we're ever around here again." I said. I poured Sten another glass as he stared.

"You're going to steal a Marine ship, and bring it back?" He asked.

"Someday, yes." I said. "But we'll make some changes so they won't recognize it." He drank the wine just as fast as before as I removed the stopper for the rum. "What do you say Sten? Join us and help us take the ship." He sighed.

"Say I was interested." He said. "How _big_ of a crew do you have right now?"

"Well, if you join, three." I said. He groaned. "But, with those men over there, fifteen. My hope, is double that by about the week's end."


	11. Finding a ship

**It's been a few weeks since I've last updated you on Luna and Sario, so here we are. If you remember their last chapter, Luna gained a few gold bars in a chest full of beautiful dresses, a chest full of swords, and a bit of anger at a World Noble for burning her potential ship and locking down the shipyard. Their plan, impersonate Marines and steal their ship. Luna has plenty of experience as something of an infiltrator, but Sario is just a novice. Hopefully it turns out well from a few days of Luna giving him a crash course. And what of the rest of the crew? Well, stay tuned.**

**Now, as with many of my stories, I accept OCs, so if you have an idea for either a pirate for Luna and her pirates to meet or a new crew member, or even a Marine that might chase her and fight her from time to time. It helps me greatly to know that I'm inspiring you to be so creative.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to One Piece. Thank you, and have a nice day.  
>…<strong>

I slowly put the ribbons in place as Sario adjusted his. I pushed his hand down and he looked up at me curiously, though I just went back to putting them in precise order.

"If they're out of place, they won't be of much use." I said calmly. "You're a Chief Petty Officer, and your medals are currently right where they need to be." He nodded slowly as I fixed the last one and adjusted the collar of the uniform. "Now, your name, Petty Officer?"

"Chief Petty Officer Fergal Lynch." He said quickly. I wagged my finger.

"Calm." I said. "All it takes is one slip for us to fall into the brig, and that will complicate this plan quite a bit." He nodded and cleared his throat.

"Chief Petty Officer, Fergal Lynch, ma'am." He said. I smiled.

"Much better." I said. "Just, have fun with this. It'll work if you just pretend it's a game. That's how Pops taught me. Everything was a game, and that's how I learned so much in only eight years." He laughed as I crossed my arms. "Now, I shall need a name… Zabrisa Lunari will now be a rare use when I need a quick alias, but for this guise…"

"Abigail again?" He suggested. I raised my finger and wagged it.

"No, if I used that, it'd leave a bit to chance." I said. I tapped my arm and shrugged. "I knew a tavern waitress a few years ago. Her name will suffice. She was in Tougarest after all, and the Marines won't go near it for a declaration from a certain Yonko." I nodded. "Commander Jessica Still, private sector, commandeering a ship so that I can make my report. Reason for not having a ship, it was damaged and is currently being repaired, and it will take too long, and my report is vital."

"I, I'm still not sure about this whole thing." He said. "I mean, deceiving them so much, and then killing them all? It feels, a little, wrong."

"They did much the same to my first captain." I said. He looked at me for a moment and I backed up to lean against the wall. "A man I only knew as Mr. Trevor was a Marine masquerading as one of Captain Ben's crew for over five months, most likely to capture them all anyway, but when they wanted the Devil's Fruit that I ate, they killed off most of the crew until he surrendered. They probably killed a lot more of the crew on their ship, and they're probably keeping Ben in a serious prison because of his bounty. When they did it, I could feel that Mr. Trevor didn't feel a lick of regret for having betrayed us, killing off men that once trusted him, and even trying to kill a thirteen year old kid that he himself introduced to the life." His expression softened. "They don't care what tactics they use, but if you're that bothered, I'm willing to let a few men live. After all, they're going to learn about us eventually, so why not give them a story about how we stole their ship."

"Well, I guess I'll take it easy on some of them." He said. "I just hope we don't lose anyone just trying to get a ship."

"We won't." I said. "We've got a good group. I can tell that they're strong men, enough that this should go fast. There should be about as many Marines on the ship, maybe less, but with the element of surprise, we should be able to take it over fairly quickly." He crossed his arms as I grabbed my uniform's hat. "Now, it'll be up to me to take out the communications, and up to you to make sure the others are ready. Once we start this, there's no way to start over. Make sure everyone is absolutely ready." He nodded.

"I'll be sure everything is ready." He said. "I'll check in on them regularly, make sure they're hydrated and ready to go when we hear the signal… Uh, what was the signal, by the way? I was bothered by Paulie asking me what was up with my accent." I shrugged.

"When you hear gunshots and an alarm, that'll be the signal." I said. "I'll try to thin the Marines down a little, but I'll be after the captain. Often they're the strongest fighters on the ship, and it won't be an easy fight, if he's worthy of his rank." He crossed his arms as I stepped forward. "So, are you ready?" He nodded.

"Yeah, I'm ready to do this." He said. "But, what do you uh, plan on looking like?" I shrugged.

"Bigger chest, black hair, green eyes." I said. "Maybe freckles… Blonde, freckles, slightly bigger chest but not stare worthy, and gray eyes." My body started shifting to change, and I saw Sario's eyes widening. "Surreal?" He nodded slowly as my chest grew, and my cheeks tingled as the freckles started becoming visible. When it was done I held my arms out. "What do you think? I'm kind of worried I might have overdone it on the freckles."

"Uh, maybe, a little…" He said. "That was, scary. I mean, your hair just… And then, your skin got… A-and your eyes…" I giggled into my hand.

"Hey, I get it." I said. "Pops didn't really react more than his eyes, but, I get it. It's a strange and odd thing to actually watch. I've looked in mirrors for major changes like this…" I cleared my throat. "And voice changes are also a little difficult." He blinked. "Too light? I want to seem feminine and, well, safe. I don't want to look or seem all that dangerous. Just an information officer from the private sector, a pencil pusher." He laughed at the tone I'd taken. I was acting like a young and innocent girl. I even made my body look a little younger, like I shouldn't have even been in the Marines. "Too much?"

"Perfect." He said. "You look, harmless." I smiled. "I think the freckles are perfect with that voice and look." He saluted. "Commander, I believe we're ready to go. The men are in the crates, ready to be taken aboard when we arrive." I returned the salute.

"Chief Petty Officer, we are indeed ready." I said. "I will meet you at the dock… I think I'll be taking my own kit." He laughed as we lowered our arms. "What?"

"Well, you'll be a little scrawny girl carrying a heavy chest…" He said. "I say make one of them take it in for you, act like you're tired of carrying it so effortlessly." I smiled.

"Good idea actually." I said. "I won't look the part, but they'll see I'm much stronger than I look." I walked over to the chest. "You take the sword chest and keep it safe. I'll take the dresses and my things. I'll meet you by the dock and I'll go in ahead. I'm going to work on my persona. I am a method actress, after all." He laughed as he walked over to the sword chest.  
>…<p>

"Ma'am." A Marine said while saluting. I nodded.

"As you were." I said kindly. "Um, could someone please get the captain of this vessel? I need a moment with him." He nodded as Sario walked up beside me. The Marine walked away while another took his place.

"Is everything okay, ma'am?" He asked. I shook my head.

"Issues with my ship." I said honestly. "It's okay though." I heard a familiar whistle.

"Captain." The Marine said. He turned and saluted as a tall man with graying hair walked down the boarding ramp. He looked down at me as I shifted the two chests in my arms.

"At ease." He said. "Commander? I hope this isn't a surprise inspection. I just had one the other day."

"No, it's a little more important than that." I said. I let out a breath. "Um, could someone please hold these for me? I've been carrying them for over an hour, and my arms are getting a little tired." Several Marines were quickly beside me, and a few took the top chest with a little effort, and another tried to hold my personal chest. "Careful, it's heavier than it…" He took it and nearly fell. His whole body shook until two men took the sides, but even then they all had issues until two more came over to help them. "Looks." They slowly set it down on a crate while the other Marines set the other one down.

"Your, summer home?" The captain asked. I giggled softly into my hand.

"No, just some things from home…" I said quietly. I held my hand out as they started to reach for the latches. "Touch it and I'll have you court-martialed." They looked over as I gestured to my insignias. "Commander Jessica Still." I held my hand out to the captain, which he took calmly. "Private sector." His eyes widened slightly.

"You don't say." He said.

"Recent transfer, promoted, the works." I said. He let go of my hand and I cleared my throat. "I'm sorry, but I have to take command of your ship for a few weeks."

"May I ask why, Commander?" He asked. I raised my eyebrow.

"I wouldn't fight this, Captain." I said. "You may hold a higher rank, but that means little to me right now. I have vital information that needs to reach headquarters, and my ship is currently unable to make the journey. We ran afoul of a Sea King, and it damaged part of the hull. It's a miracle it survived, but it won't be ready for a good while, so I have decided to take temporary command of a seaworthy vessel. This vessel, is yours." He slowly adjusted his cap.

"Is this a volunteer mission, or is my crew _being_ volunteered, ma'am?" He asked calmly.

"I apologize again, but this information can't wait." I said. "The information is extremely sensitive, and I have no choice but to either commandeer a ship and its crew, or I have to let this information become worthless. Seeing as letting it become worthless could cause issues with the World Government, I choose the path that lets me survive." He sighed. "I'm glad you understand. I won't ask for much, but I require my own room, as does my second in command, Chief Petty Officer Fergal Lynch. And before you ask, his rank doesn't matter, because he has skill enough to rise two ranks… He just doesn't accept a promotion since he would have to serve behind a desk, and neither of us want that to happen."

"I'm sure we can find acceptable rooms." The captain said calmly. I nodded and gestured to a bunch of marked crates. "What about them?"

"This is all information." I said. "Hard copies of data I've acquired over several months. Classified of course." He sighed. "If any of it is out of order, it would take weeks of sorting, and since only Fergal and I have the clearance to even look at it, the ones involved with the disorder would be severely punished. I want the utmost care taken with each and every crate."

"Of course." He said. His tone wasn't so much agitated as it was irritated. He truly believed what I was telling him. "Will there be, any other requirements?"

"Yes." I said. "First of all, for the duration of this mission, you are not to question us about any of the information or where we've been for the past several months. Second, these crates are to be loaded, but never opened by anyone but Fergal or myself. If Fergal or I enter the hold with the crates, all other personnel are to leave and not return until we are gone. Third, there will be no communication from this ship, incoming calls are to be taken only in my presence. As far as anyone is concerned, this is a shakedown run to make sure everything is running smoothly." He nodded while gritting his teeth, though he didn't realize I noticed. "Lastly, no one is to enter our quarters for any reason. If the ship is attacked, there will be no looking in, there will be no opening of the door, and no one will be in either of our rooms for any reason whatsoever. Anyone caught or even suspected of being in our room will be dealt with as I see fit."

"Understood." He said. "Permission to speak freely?"

"Granted." I said. I could tell Sario was nervous.

"Why my ship?" He asked. "I know we've just gotten the Kairoseki coating, but that's becoming standard issue." I put my hand to my chin. "I'd like to know why my ship is being taken out of my direct command, and I think I have a right to know."

"Kairoseki…" I said quietly. "I don't think I've been informed of this… But your ship was chosen not for some recent improvement, but because your crew was deemed fit enough for the duty, trustworthy, and most importantly, capable under pressure." He blinked.

"You, said you are in the private sector, but you've not heard of Kairoseki?" He asked. "Seastone?"

"My mission is to acquire sensitive or classified information." I said calmly. "Technical data is not under my range unless it's something that is deemed important enough for me to investigate. I'd appreciate knowing what this is, as I was not informed during or prior to deciding. If it negatively impacts the speed of the vessel…"

"It won't." He said. "Seastone is, well, a stone. It apparently resonates with the energy of the sea, allowing us to go through the calm belt without attracting the attention of Sea Kings. It also has a property of, and I'm quoting an egghead scientist on this, depowering Cursed people when in direct contact with them. If, for example, you were a Devil Fruit user and were to put a necklace with a Seastone pendant around your neck, you would lose the ability to use your power, because it is as though you were in contact with the sea." I looked at the ship.

"Interesting." I said. "Do you have, weapons, made with it, yet?"

"None as of now." He said. "But they say there are some weapons with it. Cuffs, necklaces, and staffs, but mostly coating the bottom of ships with it is what is being done with it. Attacks by Sea Kings have dropped considerably." I nodded.

"All the more reason for me to stay with my decision." I said quietly. I giggled. "So, I believe it is time to go aboard, take the crates to the hull, and chart a course. I will show you where we will be going, and you will give the message to hold any and all communications while Fergal and I settle in." I turned. "Fergal, would you be a dear and quickly get your things set so we can get to work?"

"Yes, ma'am." He said calmly. I smiled as I turned, and the Captain was gesturing as the Marines lifted my equipment.

"Thank you." I said. I turned to the Marines. "Please be careful. I wouldn't want you to hurt yourselves."

"No worries, ma'am." One said in a strained voice.

"Marines, never hurt themselves." Another said, also straining.  
>…<p>

"So, soundproofed." Sario said. I nodded and leaned back.

"I checked it myself." I said. "Yelled for a few minutes at the door when Marines were passing by, and not one bothered to even knock on the door. It's perfect." He laughed. "So, is everyone okay?"

"A few bumps, but no injuries." He said. "A few guys are bored, but they're being quiet. They'll wait for the signal."

"It may be a few days." I said. "Good thing they all have plenty of food and water." He nodded. "When we're free, I'll slip in, shut down the communication equipment, and start the diversion."

"I'm going to regret saying this, but, I'm kind of nervous about this." He said. I smiled a little.

"Good." I said.

"What?" He asked. "I said, I'm nervous about this. As in, I'm a little unsure."

"So am I." I said. He opened his mouth and I held up my hand. "I'm further undercover than you are. You just play the quiet guy, don't act like you don't belong, and study how everyone walks. Don't act like you normally do, but fall in with the crowd." He sighed. "Look, I'm not even me right now. I have to remember that Commander Jessica acts nice and sweet, even when she threatens someone, and I have to remember not to act too out of character. If I act like me for too long, or if I let my voice go back to normal for any reason I'll blow my cover and have to start my backup plan of taking down the crew while trying to get to the comm. room and keeping them from calling in an SOS. We're both nervous, and I think we'd have to be crazy not to be."

"I, I guess…" He said quietly. "But what about the captain? He seems, a little suspicious."

"He should be." I said. "New girl comes along and basically takes control of his ship, even if he does still have his crew under his command. I can take over whenever I want to, and my word means more than his. If he tries to take over, I'll be able to call it mutiny and take him out of the picture earlier. He knows that. I think he suspects that I'm stronger than I look, and that's just what I wanted." I smiled. "He's afraid of me. He'll consider everything carefully, and if he does try something, he won't do much about it, apart from voice complaints."

"Why the private sector?" He asked.

"They don't have the ability to check." I said. "Private sectors often don't allow any of their officers' names to be known. When you don't know about who you're dealing with, you tend to act cautious until you think you know enough."

"But we're taking over, without knowing this captain…" He said slowly.

"I'll learn all I need to know in a few days." I said. "I'm going to keep an eye on him, and act like I'm 'interested', but too shy to talk to him about it."

"You, are a little too comfortable with doing this." He said. "It's like you, actually have fun fooling people…"

"Don't worry, I won't pull stuff like this with you." I said. "Don't get me wrong, you're cute, but I just don't think things would work… Doesn't mean I won't flirt from time to time, if you don't mind." He laughed.

"You're crazy." He said. "Lovely, but just, insane." He stared for a moment before I laughed.

"Lovely now, or when I'm me?" I asked through the laughter. He blushed.

"Always." He said. "I mean, right now you're cute, but normally, you've got this, sexiness, and you've got that, swagger." I laughed.

"Well, I don't swagger on purpose." I said. "Ever try to walk on a ship that's out to sea proper?" He looked around and I laughed. "I mean one that's rocking and swaying to the rhythm of the sea."

"Well, yeah, a few." He said. "I kept nearly falling over."

"You'll get used to it, I promise." I said. "In time anyway. Took me a week to get used to Captain Ben's ship. Once you start getting used to walking on the deck of a ship, you start walking in time and rhythm with the waves that rock the ship. When you get on land, you kind of just, pick up a swagger. I'm lucky that I'm able to control it a little, even if it does still stick with me."

"I think you should let that part stay." He said. "The way your hips move, it makes you look more, confident." I smirked at him.

"I knew it." I said slyly. He blinked. "I can always tell when someone's staring at my… hips." He laughed.

"I'm surprised you haven't slapped me for it yet." He said.

"If it bothered me, I would have." I said. "But if I slapped everyone that watched my hips as I walked by, I'd slap most of the men in every port I've been to. I've learned to just stop taking notice."


	12. A Slight Delay

**Last time we looked in on our favorite shape-shifting pirate captain, she was starting her plan to steal a Marine ship, the crew was in crates in the hold, and Sario was nervous about what they were planning. What will happen? Will they steal the ship? Will I stop with this mess? … I can answer the third. Yes. I'll stop now.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to One Piece. Thank you, and enjoy.  
>…<strong>

I wrote slowly in the journal, mostly out of boredom. We were two days out, and so far they hadn't sent a single call out. If they had, I would have known. They had to log them, and I checked each time, saying it was to under my orders. So far the crew was ready, and I was planning on attacking tonight. I was going to go to bed early, as were Sario and the others. A quick look at the clock made me nod.

'Three forty PM…' I wrote. 'I'm going to go to sleep in about an hour or so, and later, we're going to attack. I'll say it's a late call to be made to my superiors, with the captain being made to wait in the mess for me. If he does not comply, the plan will go ahead regardless. I need a ship if I'm going to be a pirate.' I tapped the quill with my finger before I dipped it in the inkwell. 'The past two days have shown a lot of weakness in the crew. The captain is a relatively good man, or so I hoped at first. From what the newer crew members have told me, he personally oversaw the execution of six people that were innocent. He watched them hang, despite that he knew they were innocent, and he may have even ordered it. I was hoping he was a good man, because he acts nice around me. Apparently, he abuses his crew regularly to keep them in line.' I dipped the tip of the quill in the ink again and rotated my wrist for a second before I started writing again. 'Their injuries are genuine, though sadly, even they are corrupt, especially the older crewmen. Stories of forcing women to lay with them, taking money from people in need, and even murder through a claim of a crime solely to 'confiscate' something they want, the money, and 'impound the evidence'. The newer ones look up to them, believing it 'justice'. They don't understand the basic concept, and that means that they won't try. Even the youngest ones are stubborn, deciding their elders are correct.' A knock at the door made me look up, and it was Sario. I gestured for him to come in and he closed the door behind him, pulling down the shade. "So, what's the news?"

"Well, it looks like there's another ship that will be nearby for the night." He said. "I, took the liberty of informing the crew that we're stuck waitin' until we're in the clear, and not to sleep early yet." I nodded. "I, hope that's, okay."

"Yes, it is." I said. "Thank you. I guess I'll be amending this… Hopefully we can go ahead tomorrow. And, I have seen some potential among this crew."

"P-potential?" He asked. I nodded and I moved my journal to my knee, setting the quill in the inkwell.

"About four of the crew mention that not all pirates are bad." I said. "They seem to have some level of compassion as well. Of a crew of twenty seven, four seem, possibly worth taking on. If only because they have uniforms, and some level of training. They're new, so I might be able to turn them if I do things right. If not… They're going to live, I hope."

"Well, I'm not going to question you." He said. "You've, been a pirate for eight years already."

"One thing though." I said. "I want you to watch the captain while I talk to them. I'll be taking them away, saying I see potential, but not more than that. You are to keep him out of the general area. If you see him, send him away and tell him that I'm not yet done talking to them." He nodded. "In fact, once I amend this, I'll check them out one at a time."

"Okay." He said. "Before I forget, the captain, actually wants to talk to you. He wouldn't say why." I nodded and took the quill. "I told him I'd tell you, since you prefer not to let anyone but me in here." He turned to the door. "I'll go make my rounds for a bit, see what's going on… You know, I really, kind of like this." I smiled.

"I know how you feel." I said. "It's kind of fun after a while. You feel like you're not yourself after a few days in character." He laughed.

"Yeah." He said. "Do you ever, have trouble getting back to being yourself?"

"Once." I said. "I was mostly just in and out, but one time I had to spend a week on a ship because it left while I was 'inspecting' their cargo, and eventually Pops showed up and collected the cargo, and I was hiding in it at the time."

"Just, like that." He said. I nodded.

"Yeah, Pops carries a lot of clout wherever he goes." I said simply. "If he talks, even the Marines listen. No one disrespects him and gets to talk about it… Well, not often." I laughed. "This one time, one of the crew was a new guy, great fighter, but a navigator like you wouldn't believe. Heck, he taught me everything he knew, and he got drunk and started disrespecting Pops, actually calling him an old man instead of Pops or by his name. Bad, idea." He smirked. "Pops just, lets him have it, and used his Haki to knock him out."

"Wow, that's pretty cool." He said. "Did he teach you that?"

"A little." I said. "He taught me enough that I _can_ use the same thing, but it's not as easy as it sounds… Anyway, Zed, the guy that got drunk, woke up an hour later with a _massive_ hangover, asked what happened, and thought it was all a bad dream." He laughed as I pointed the quill at him. "Turns out, he had actually passed out from being drunk, and he was _sleepwalking_!" We both laughed for a minute before I sighed quietly. "Oh, that was a great day. From then on, whenever he drank, he'd pass out and do something stupid, and when he woke up we'd tell him about it. One time, he actually tried to flirt with me. Pops had him tied to the mast until he woke up, and the whole time, Zed was actually making out with me in his dream."

"What'd you do about _that_?" He asked.

"I told him that I'm actually a man." I said. He shook his head with a laugh. "That got him to back off for a few days." He sighed and walked to the door.

"I'll go make my rounds." He said. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah, and tell the captain I'll be by in a few minutes." I said. He nodded and walked out, closing the door. I looked at the journal and dipped the tip in the ink again before writing. 'Four twelve, change of plans. Another ship has set us back an unknown amount of time. I will take this time to hopefully recruit more men, if possible. If they seem remotely untrusting, I won't reveal my cover. Instead, a cover of it being a loyalty test will be used. Hopefully they will see reason that freedoms are being repressed by the Marines. If not, then they may live to see the truth behind things.'  
>…<p>

I walked up to the captain and saw the four young men I had intended to talk to, and I quickly saw a few likely scenarios. He may have known about potential 'leniency toward piracy', or perhaps he was going to show that he knew that I knew of his cruelty. One other possibility was that he was going to see if I knew about them.

"Thank you for coming, Commander Still." He said. I nodded. "I trust your room is comfortable?" I smiled.

"Yes, thank you." I said. "I'm quite comfortable. Though I have heard of another ship nearby?"

"Yes, they're passing by for a few hours." He said. "They've tried to call, and I told them no communication apart from that we're en route to a classified destination."

"I would have preferred you to tell me in advance." I said. "I'll let it slide, because I trust your word. But from now on, _all_ communications go through _me_."

"Yes, I apologize." He said. "As for why I asked you here, I have heard that these young men are, how shall I say, sympathetic to piracy." He put his hand on the shoulder of one and gripped hard, making the young Marine wince in pain. "I became curious as to _your_ thoughts on the subject. This, is Clarence. Apparently, he believes that some pirates have good reason to take to the life. Tell him your reasons, private." Clarence swallowed as I gestured.

"Please, speak freely." I said. "I was taught to keep an open mind." He nodded shakily.

"W-well, I kind of, understand." He said. "Sometimes, pirates do what they do, because they feel… Like they don't have much choice. No other way to, live." He cleared his throat. "If, well, I think that, if the pirate isn't dangerous, they shouldn't just be f-f-fired… Upon…" The captain gripped his shoulder tighter and I cleared my throat.

"Captain, I believe you're hurting him." I said. He slowly let go and I nodded. "Continue, please."

"I, I just, think maybe some pirates can, you know, reform." He said. "If they had a chance to have a better job, or, a better life."

"Once a pirate, always a pirate." The captain said. "That's my experience."

"And the other three?" I asked.

"The same." He said. "They all agree with Clarence. They believe that some pirates deserve a second chance, if they're willing to try. I believe all that it will do is put pirates in a position to try to return to their ways." I nodded and crossed my arms.

"Is this true?" I asked. They all nodded. "Well, I can understand wanting to believe in the goodness of the human heart, that people can change." The captain scoffed. "Don't do that, please. Justice. That is the ideal under which many of us became Marines, yes?"

"Of course, and justice must be unyielding." He said.

"I have some questions to resolve this situation." I said. "And it goes to you. What happens to these four, will go to my superior officers, but what I tell them, will be up to you." He nodded. "A young girl is kidnapped by pirates, and is given a choice. Become a member of the crew and clean the decks for a few weeks so she can go home to her family, or allow the crew to have their way with her until she can either escape, or until she dies. What should she do?"

"The latter." He said. "As detestable as it may seem, it is better to not throw herself in with their lot, because piracy is a severe offense."

"Okay, then I can see what your opinion is just from that." I said. "No point in continuing. You, are by the book on this." He nodded. "But, just for my curiosity, what would your punishment be for these men?"

"If it were up to me, and not you, I'd hang them." He said. They swallowed. "I'd personally hang each one of them over the edge of my ship with signs telling the world of their sympathy for criminals."

"Well, I'm glad it's up to me." I said. "Personally, I believe that in some cases, piracy can be forgiven, but I will respect your opinion. For now, these gentlemen are confined to quarters. Lock them in and give them meals, but I want to talk to each of them privately."  
>…<p>

"So, y-you're, actually a pirate." Clarence said. He was the last of them, and he was the only one willing to actually resort to piracy. I simply nodded. I'd give the others a chance, but it was only after we destroyed the rest of the crew, if there were no issues regarding loyalty. If I felt they weren't going to be loyal, I'd let them go at the closest Marine island. "W-wow… Uh, you're, insane." I smiled.

"So I'm told." I said. He gave a quiet laugh. "Here's the rundown. I'm going to take this ship. In fact, as soon as the other ship is out of sight, I'm going to personally lead the assault and kill Captain Case. I've heard stories, and he proved them. Cruelty, belief in 'Absolute Justice', that pirates can never change. I know they can, because I've seen good hearted pirates. The first crew I was part of, well… The question I asked, was actually a story, about me. That's how I started out. Granted, it did not, end that well."

"Wh-what happened?" He asked.

"Well, I ate a Cursed Fruit, gained its power…" I said. "And, we were betrayed by a Marine in disguise. Most of the crew was killed, and I hope there are still survivors in at least a prison or something… But, they tried to kill me. I was thirteen. Since then, I've been trained by a proper crew, and I'm striking out on my own."

"W-well…" He said quietly. "If, you think you can win without a crew…" I giggled into my hand.

"I have a crew." I said coyly. "They're just hiding right now." He blinked.

"Uh, where?" He asked.

"I need your word." I said. "I need you to personally swear an oath to me, that you'll join my crew. Otherwise, I am going to knock you out and tell them that you're spreading lies to try to get out of your punishment." He laughed nervously but I just sat there. "I'm serious."

"Uh, o-okay." He said. "Is there, a, specific, way you want me to…" I shrugged.

"Just look me in the eye, promise, and shake my hand with the other where I can see it." I said. "That's good enough for me. Heck, it'd be good enough for my old captain." He nodded and held up his hand while offering the other. He looked me squarely in the eye as I took his hand.

"I, swear my loyalty to you, captain." He said. "Uh, wh-what's your name?" I giggled as I let go of his hand.

"Luna." I said. "Luna D. Veluria." He smiled. "So, our crew is, as of now, waiting in the hold in the crates I had brought aboard." He laughed.

"I, I think I get it." He said. "You're, planning on an ambush?"

"When I fire a pistol, that will be the signal, and they have the means to escape." I said. "After that, it'll be a big melee while I take care of captain Case." He smiled.

"O-okay." He said. "I can switch into my civ… Er, regular clothes, and, hopefully someone will open the door. Um, are there, any other, Marines defecting?"

"No." I said. "The other three are willing, but they're not committed. They aren't quite as open as you are." He nodded. "I'm going to check on the other ship, and when I switch to my normal clothes, I'll be ready to kill the Marine Captain." He nodded. "By the way, have you ever had any sword training?"

"No, I, can kind of use a pistol, but, I'm better…" He said quietly. "Uh, with an axe." I smiled.

"Nice, we need an axe guy." I said. "We've got a lot of gun guys, a few swordsmen, and me… Hand to hand mostly, but I've got two swords that should work just fine." I stood up and he saluted. "Hey, none of that. Pirates don't salute. Besides that, I like to keep things casual." I looked at the door. "When you hear the gunshot, that'll be the signal for my second in command to get you out." I walked to the door and knocked twice, and the door was opened. "Gentlemen, keep them comfortable. If there's even one sign of abuse, I'll be sure that punishment is meted out properly." I walked down the hall and saw Sario, so he saluted me. "Mr. Lynch, we're going to check on the files shortly. I need to make certain of something." He nodded and we began walking toward the hold.

"Commander Still." A Marine said. I looked at him. "There's a minor situation that we need you to resolve!" I turned to him as he walked over. "Some of the men are… Um, well…"

"Calm down, and speak freely." I said. He inhaled and exhaled quietly.

"Some of the men, are questioning the validity of your reasons for being here." He said. "One said that he saw CPO Lynch talking to the crates as though there were people inside." I sighed quietly. "Out of respect, ma'am, I want to say that, I don't exactly doubt that Chief Petty Officer Lynch does speak to, well, himself, but…" Sario snickered.

"Well, yeah, I do, sometimes." He said. "It's just a way of going over the information in my head."

"Still…" The young Marine said.

"Yes?" I asked. He laughed and I giggled into my hand. "I'll take care of this. Petty Officer Lynch has his quirks, but who doesn't? I, myself, practice with my swords regularly, and I believe they have souls."

"W-well, I'd hurry, ma'am." He said. "If you don't, we may have a problem in the very near future." I nodded and he pointed.

"Petty Officer, wait with the crates and make sure everything's okay." I said. Sario saluted and walked away. "Okay, let's go." The Marine walked forward and I followed him, annoyed that I'd have to wait to give the news of the new crewman. Granted, I half expected a betrayal, but where Captain Case believed pirates could only ever be pirates, I believed that everyone has a choice about who they are. I wanted to hope that I could help someone choose a better path through life. "So, who's the dissenter?"

"Huh?" He asked. "Oh, PFC Daniel Case, the captain's son." I nodded.

"Yes, I remember him." I said. "Very flirty." He laughed as I giggled. "I bet he knew this would happen, and he just wants to have some time to talk to me."

"Permission to speak freely?" He asked.

"Granted." I said.

"I don't blame him." He said. "You're, well, very pretty." I giggled shyly.

"Oh, stop, I am not." I said. He looked at me with a smile.

"Really, you're beautiful." He said. "Especially your eyes. I can feel something, strange when I look into them. It's like, there's a spark of danger, behind something that says 'you can trust me'." I smiled.

"Thank you." I said quietly. "I guess that's why people do trust me." He laughed.

"Well, I stand by it." He said. He stopped at a door and gestured. "He's in here, with a few of the others that agree with him." I nodded and walked past him.

"Thank you." I said. I walked in and saw the PFC and three others. "Gentlemen, I hear you have an issue with my being here?" The door was closed behind me and Case's son gestured to a chair, but I just leaned against the wall by the door. "I'm in a bit of a hurry. I need to do a few reports and add them to the rest."

"Right." He said. "The 'classified reports'."

"Yes, my classified and very important reports." I said.

"I saw your Chief Petty Officer talking to the crates." He said. "Something tells me you're not who you seem to be." I scoffed. "Why are you really here? I think we have a right to know if something bad is coming our way."

"Fine." I said. I stood up. "There's a pirate issue, and our reports detail a new pirate that apparently trained under a Yonko." He stood up slightly.

"What?" He asked.

"Yes, surprising." I said. "This pirate, is apparently forming a crew of her own, and she trained under, Whitebeard." They stepped back.

"Wh-Whitebeard?" He asked. "Geeze, wh-what do we do if she, attacks us?" I scoffed.

"You give up and hope for the best." I said. "I have it on good authority that she has a Meito sword, and an Ō-Wazamono. She's very dangerous. If she attacks, I am personally going to disappear and start praying that she lets me live."

"Who is she?" He asked. "Wh-what's her name?"

"Luna Veluria." I said. "She has no bounty, but had a one hundred thousand years ago, at the age of _thirteen_." They looked at one another and then at me. "She was thought dead, but she's very much alive, and far more dangerous."

"So, do you know where she is?" The one to his left asked.

"Yes." I said. "She was last seen leaving Whitebeard's ship. We believe she's going to Tougarest."


	13. Taking the ship

**It's been a while since I've posted a chapter for this, and though I initially intended to post for Digital Sheriff (Let me just pick that name up), but figured it's been long enough since I've posted (Or worked on, for that matter) for this one. So here it is. I hope you all enjoy it.**

**Thanks go to Infinity-darkmage-Zarfeeeer, since he said Changing Tides over Digital Sheriff (Whoops, all thumbs today with that name. I just keep dropping it.). Sometimes you go with your gut, sometimes you go with… Well, not the crowd, since it was just him. But sometimes it's better to go with someone's suggestion when it makes you realize it's been a while since you posted for the other story (To those of you that say 'Post Gallade's Arm' or 'Post Jack's Journey', I'm working on them. I'm almost done with the next Gallade's Arm, and then I'll work on one for Jack's Journey (I'm dropping names left and right here). Okay?).**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to One Piece. Thank you, and have a nice day… Oh, and Zarfeeeer doesn't own the rights either, so don't bug him about it.  
>…<strong>

I yawned as I sat up, walking over to the bathroom, when I heard the door open quietly, so I turned and looked to see Sario silently closing it. He looked over and went to speak when I yawned again.

"It's three in the morning." I said through the yawn. I stretched as I stopped yawning. "What's up besides you and the stars?"

"The ship is gone." He said. "They turned away toward another island, I don't know which one…" I thought for a moment before yawning. "It's completely gone, and I made sure to check. They're gone, we can attack. Give me the word and I'll inform the crew." I ran my fingers through my hair before walking into the bathroom. "Cap…"

"I have to take care of this first." I said tiredly, closing the door. "Go tell the crew. But before that, tell a crewman that I want to see Captain Case in the comm. room in twenty minutes. I'll change my clothes and get ready…" I yawned as I lowered my pants and sat on the toilet.

"Uh, are you okay?" He asked.

"Sario, I have to pee." I said calmly. "Go set things up, please."

"Aye-aye." He said. He left and I sighed as I rubbed my face.

"Mondays." I muttered. "Had to be a Monday, at three AM."  
>…<p>

I opened my flask and drank quietly as Captain Case walked in. He looked around before turning on the lights and spotting me. He went to draw his pistol before he looked at me.

"That's hardly regulation attire." He said.

"There's a situation." I said as I lowered my flask, putting the cap back on. "It needs to be remedied immediately."

"What…" He started. He looked at the body of the comm. officer before looking at me. "What did you do to him?"

"There are pirates, on this ship." I said.

"Who?" He asked. "Wait, Clarence…"

"Yes." I said. "For one. Close the door." He closed it and I gestured for him to walk over, and he slowly complied.

"We need to radio for the other ship." He said. I put my hand on the Den-Den-Mushi and he looked at me. "We are going to require as much aid as possible."

"No." I said. "This situation will be resolved shortly."

"How?" He asked. I stood up and put the flask on my belt.

"Blades, bullets, perhaps an axe." I said. "Has your son told you about the pirate?"

"No." He said.

"Good, shows I can trust him that much." I said. He pointed at me as I put my hand to my kogatana. "This isn't something I wanted to have happen. I wanted a ship to get me to my destination, and when that went south, I had to do this. For that, know that I honestly apologize."

"There is a pirate, on my ship." He said. "Did you have anything to do with that?" I nodded.

"Yes, and I wish it didn't have to be this way." I said. I looked at the nearby porthole. "Come sunrise, this ship will be under the control of the pirate captain known as Luna Veluria."

"Veluria." He repeated. I nodded. "I remember, my old captain talking about a girl by that name." I looked at him.

"What?" I asked.

"Captain Markus Stone." He said. "He killed a girl named Luna Veluria eight years ago. Destroyed a ship, and left her on a lifeboat meant for two of his men."

"Markus, Stone." I said. "Unbelievable. So, that's why you don't believe in pirates redeeming themselves." He pointed at me.

"If she'd have been left alive, she would have attacked the Marines." He said fiercely. "She's dead, end of story. She had no water."

"She did, actually." I said. He lowered his hand. "Where is Markus Stone?"

"Why?" He asked. "Wait, you can't think to tell him that he left a job unfinished. He'd search for us and sink us for _thinking_ that."

"No, I'm not going to call him." I said. "But I'll need to know where he is." He sighed.

"I don't know." He said. "No one's heard from him formally in three years. He was promoted, and now he's searching for, something. No one knows what it is, but, he's obsessed…" He shook his head. "Where, is the pirate? We have to stop her, _now_. We have the element of surprise, so let's not waste it." I walked around and sat on the desk.

"Do you, believe in coincidence?" I asked.

"What?" He asked.

"Coincidence." I said. "You know, luck."

"W-what does that have to do with anything?" He asked.

"I've been looking for Markus Stone for some time." I said. "That I chose _your_ ship, and that we spoke of this _tonight_… Some might say, that it's pure coincidence." He stared for a moment as I fingered the small, hidden, well sharpened knife. "I, am unsure, but, I'm glad I know now, that I have taken a step on the right path toward finding him." He suddenly drew his pistol.

"We don't have _time_." He said quickly. "Where, is, the pirate?" I stood up and looked at him, and assumed my normal appearance. He stared for a moment before he fired at me. I rushed him, dodging the bullet easily, and I slashed his throat just as I went behind him. He grabbed his throat and began coughing and choking. As he fell to the ground, I put the knife back after cleaning it.

"Hopefully your personal log will help me find what I'm after." I said quietly. I heard a crash and I drew Yami, walking up to the door and standing beside it. As expected, the door was forced open and three men ran in, looking around.

"Captain!" One yelled. I whistled and they turned as I spun and swiftly decapitated them in a single stroke. I stepped aside as they fell to their knees, their heads falling and rolling across the floor.

"Gruesome." I said. I walked out of the room and dodged a sword, turning slightly and stabbing a Marine through the heart. 'Now to clear my ship. Cleaning, will wait until we get to Tougarest.' I walked down the hall and heard yells of battle, and I smiled as I looked down and saw Sario blocking swords with his own, Ookawa in his right hand. I jumped over the railing and landed behind him, slicing downward and cutting through the sword of one of the Marines. I stood up and he stepped back as I grinned widely. "Bye." I slammed my free palm into his chest and he flew over the edge of the ship, but I saw his hand on the bar. I looked back at Sario and saw him struggling against three Marines, so I reached over him and stabbed one of them in the shoulder before moving away to avoid a sword. I jumped up and landed on a sword and kicked the Marine that tried to stab me. As I landed, I laughed. "Ah, I haven't been in a brawl like this in years!" I spun Yami and heard Sario laugh.

"You enjoy this too much." He said. I grinned and reached out, grabbing a sword by the edge, just as it was about to hit Sario. I broke it and spun, stabbing the original owner in the back, probably puncturing a lung. "Can you handle these guys? I see someone heading up the ropes with a flare and a bow."

"Go." I said. "I've got this." He ran toward the rigging and I stepped back calmly, swinging Yami hard to make the blood fly off as the Marines began walking toward me. "One problem boys." I whistled and quickly jumped, and my crew fired their pistols at once, and I saw most of the Marines buckle under the fire as I landed. I looked up and saw Sario going up the rigging quickly, until he grabbed the leg of the Marine. The flare fell, and I smiled. "The ship is ours!" I looked at the surviving Marines as my crew quickly made their way over. "Lay down your arms, and you will be spared." A few slowly dropped their weapons, though others were reluctant.

"Where's the captain?" Case's son asked.

"Dead." I said simply. "He wouldn't have surrendered." He gripped his sword, and I saw some blood on his shoulder. "Don't do it. You'll be dead before you stand up." He gritted his teeth and I drew a pistol from inside my jacket, pointing it at him. "Ah-ah, drop it." He dropped the sword and grabbed his shoulder. I raised the pistol and Sario let out a yell.

"Damn!" He yelled. I looked up and saw the Marine raising a flare in a bow, so I took aim and instantly fired the pistol, hitting the bow. He dropped the flare and it fell onto his face, making him scream in pain, and he fell to the deck, hitting it hard, headfirst. "Thanks captain!" I lowered my hand and put Yami over my shoulder.

"Men, treat the wounded, and escort them to the brig, gently." I said. "We'll swing by an island, and we'll make for Tougarest." The crew cheered as I sheathed Yami and turned.  
>…<p>

I rubbed my eyes as I looked down at the log. There was nothing about Stone whatsoever, but whenever there was a mention of pirates, he mentioned his captain's influence leading to his choice. He'd never show mercy, vowing to track down families. Apparently, he'd heard of Stone murdering my family, or maybe he was with them when it happened. I was near the end, the day I came aboard.

'April seven.' It read. 'This Commander, Jessica Still, seems irregular, but she's definitely someone to watch. Right away, she takes a soundproof room, with two large travel trunks, and has us painstakingly bring aboard thirty large crates. She says they contain files, a lot of files. I don't believe her, but then again, it could be that she's one of those paranoid crazies from Cipher Pol. They say that the organization is just a rumor, but now I'm not sure. Something, just doesn't sit right when I look at her.' I laughed quietly. 'When someone looks at me, I see respect, fear, and loyalty. When she looks at me though, I can't quite understand what's going on with her. There is no respect, no fear, and certainly no loyalty. What I see instead of what I deserve, she seems to be, trying to understand me. It's like she wants to learn everything about me. I wonder, if perhaps she's trying to decide whether or not to use me somehow.'

"Past that." I said under my breath.

'April eight.' The next page started. 'Commander Still seems to be sizing me up, but she's often staring at me, according to the rest of the crew. Part of me wonders, if perhaps this is all a ruse, if perhaps, she is unaware of my wife and son, but it wouldn't be the first time a woman from the private sector tried to 'bag a captain'.' I smirked. That _was_ what I was pretending for after all. 'When I went to talk to her, she seemed surprised, at first. When I asked for her destination, she just said that it was classified. She's definitely hiding something. But when she corrected our course, she was very precise. She put us right on top of a strong current. It took five minutes, and we began moving faster, but how did she know _exactly_ where the current was? How can she read the water so, perfectly? From the look of it, it was almost like a piratical technique I've seen from time to time, used by only a few of those smart enough, or rather _foolish_ enough, to try to escape our cannons.' My eyebrow twitched. 'During dinner, Commander Still ate in her quarters with her Chief Petty Officer. Despite my initial thoughts that she was attracted to me, I now suspect it to be merely curiosity, and misunderstanding on my part. They seem to be much closer than they should be, so I will present this information to her superior officer. If my hunch is correct, Cipher Pol will surely have her tried for fraternization with her subordinate.'

"No, that wouldn't happen." I said quietly.

'April nine.' It read on the last page. 'I've been called to the communications room to discuss something with Commander Still. Whatever she wants, I hope she hurries. It's just shy of four AM, and it's apparently important enough that she had her 'partner' have a message relayed to me. Perhaps my first guess was correct, and she plans to seduce me. Will update when I come back.' I closed the book and tossed it into a nearby trash bin.

"Well, that was a bust." I said. I got up and walked over to the door, and when I opened it I saw one of my crew. "Mister Harvey, is something wrong?"

"No, but we put the Marines out on the lifeboats." He said. "Our course has been changed to Tougarest, and we should be there in a few days." He stepped aside and gestured to a tall box of, maps. I smiled. "And we found these in a bin labeled 'destroy'. Sario said you'd want these, so I got here as soon as I could, and saw them launching the boats toward the island."

"Great news." I said. "Everything is going accordingly." He slid the box over and I took it. "By the way, what's the status on provisions?"

"Set for the journey and a few months longer." He said. "And apparently they, well… This was a dry ship, sadly. There is _no_ rum whatsoever, nor any other drink worth stocking in barrels." I scoffed.

"I had a feeling." I said. "I was going through the logs and the ship was declared dry the day Case stepped aboard to replace the old captain. He ran a tight ship, but he pushed the crew too hard." He walked in as I set the maps down. "They mutinied four times, and he never reported it. He took each man alive. Apparently he had a habit of keeping the women pirates around for a few extra days, and he'd often let his crew just, do as they pleased." He groaned.

"Good thing you killed him." He said. I nodded and pulled out a map and unrolled it, and I whistled. "Whoa. That's a, uh, nice map." It was a surprise, but it wasn't really a map. It was a picture of a woman posing nude. Long red hair, deep green eyes, and a very fit body. "Kind of wish I'd inspected these first." He laughed nervously.

"If you did, I'd have had to borrow one." I said.

"Oh, you're uh…" He started.

"What?" I asked. He cleared his throat and I laughed. "Hey, this is a _great_ disguise. I mean, look at her face. Look at her _body_. If I looked like that, I'd be able to go wherever I felt like." He stared at me for a moment and then at the picture.

"Uh, demonstration?" He asked, somewhat hopefully. I laughed.

"Hey, maybe." I said. "If I ever go undercover… Kindly stop grinning like that." He laughed quietly. "If I ever have to use a disguise, this woman will be _amazing_." I rolled it up and set it in the box before taking another and unrolling it. I heard a thud and saw Harvey laying on the ground, a blissful smile on his face. I looked at the picture. Two women were, making out, completely naked and _very_ close. I tilted my head. "You know, the blonde looks kind of like… Jessica…" I laughed. "Wait, that _is_ Jessica! Oh, this is too good to pass up. She is going to _flip_ when I show up!" I tilted my head the other way. "Hey, could you go get Sario? I'll need his help with something."

"Yeah, after I, find the strength to stand up again." He said. I laughed and rolled up the picture.

"Take your time." I said. "We've got a few days to get to Tougarest. I just want to gather everyone so I can tell them the name of the ship, and what we'll go by as pirates." He nodded and slowly stood up, facing away. I giggled. "Hey, don't worry, I was in a crew of hundreds of guys and we went to beaches all the time." He looked at me. "Trust me, I know a lot about _sundials_." He laughed as he walked out. When he was gone I pulled out a third rolled up tube and opened it. "Oh, there was a… No, this is a group of fake islands, outlining the shape of…" I blushed. "A woman fellating another woman…" I tilted my head. "Is it another woman?" I stared at the picture for a few minutes when I heard a laugh.

"You and your maps." Sario said.

"Sario, can you help me with this?" I asked. "I don't want to be distracted." He walked over and leaned in. "Now, look at the water between the islands." He nodded.

"What am I seeing here?" He asked after a second.

"What do _you_ see?" I asked. "Just so I know."

"Uh, a woman, giving a guy…" He started. "Or, is that another woman?" We tilted our heads the same way.

"That's what I'm thinking." I said. "But… Look there." I pointed to a spot. "Is that?"

"I think that's her tongue." He said. I nodded slowly. "But, the other… No, that's… Yeah, that's two women, uh… Well, yeah. Two, women made by a body of water… A _nice_ body of water." I nodded.

"Okay, that settles that." I said. I rolled it up and shook my head. "That would have bugged me for a _week_."

"So, this is just, a box of naked women?" He asked. I shrugged.

"Seems like it." I said. "Case ran a ship so tight the crew unwound via mutiny multiple times." He laughed. "Anyway, we need to name the ship, and our pirate crew. I was part of the Sea Devils for a while, and I can't fly Pops' flag. I struck out on my own… We need a flag while we're at it, and I'm not one for knitting."

"Sal's good for that." He said.

"How good?" I asked.

"Not sure, but he says he's not half bad." He said.

"Okay, once we have a drawing of what we'll use, we'll ask him to make it." I said. He nodded. "For now, ship name. Any ideas?"

"None whatsoever." He said. I leaned back and he sat by me, his arm just above my shoulders. "You?"

"A couple, one kind of based on a nickname Pops gave me." I said. "He calls me butterfly, but he used to call me caterpillar."

"Caterpillar." He repeated. I nodded. "Uh, why?"

"Metamorphosis." I said simply. "A caterpillar turns into a butterfly, you know?" He nodded. "I skip the cocoon part, but I change my appearance. Why don't we call the ship 'Lunar Caterpillar', at least for now?"

"Well, I'll spread the word, but we should have the crew's consent on that." He said. I nodded. "I kind of like it, but, if we can't find something better…"

"Yeah, I'll go with anything that's better." I said. "As for what we'll call ourselves…"

"It won't be the 'Butterfly Pirates', I'll tell you that right now." He said. I laughed.

"Nah, I was thinking, Argentum Angelus." I said. He looked at me. "It means Silver Angel. The Silver Angel Pirates." I pointed to my hair. "No?"

"Actually…" He said. "I kind of like it. I'll tell the others." After a few seconds he got up. "Hey, uh, one more picture?" I laughed and pulled out a new one and opened it, and he tilted his head. "Okay, that's a map. But, why is it… No, no hidden goodies…" I grinned.

"Speak for yourself." I said. "Look at this, it's beautiful. It's pretty well detailed. I can see why it'd be burned though. There are a lot of marked places. This has every major Marine Base listed, and troop numbers as of last month. Sure, that might have changed a little, but this is _very_ valuable. I'll be sure to study this extensively. Better, it has frequencies for communications. We can tap in and monitor them."

"So, we stole a Marine ship, killed most of the crew." He said. "We're going to repaint it and fly our own flag as the Argentum Angelus Pirates after we make it, and we might call the ship the Lunar Caterpillar." I nodded. "Captain, I can't say you don't keep things interesting." I giggled.

"Oh, we're just getting started." I said happily. "Just wait until we get to Tougarest. You'll love it!"


	14. Resting in Tougarest

**Yet again it's been a while since I've posted for Changing Tides, so here we are, chapter fourteen. I hope you all enjoy it. It's starting to take off. I hope it keeps its momentum when I'm posting for the other stories. This is mostly plot building, and will be for a while, but hopefully it's good for everyone. Goodness knows Luna wants the readers to be happy.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to One Piece. Thank you.  
>…<strong>

_I tilted the flask up and drank the last of the rum in the flask while I looked out toward the island. We had the generic pirate flag up, and it would allow us to come in. The type of ship only mattered depending on the flag they had. A Marine flag bearing ship would be attacked on sight, but a Jolly Roger would be left alone, even on a Marine ship. Granted, you had to prove you were a pirate by having the name._

_The crew agreed to be the Star Angel Pirates, and our ship was to be called the Silver Wing. Lunar Caterpillar would be for a better ship than this one. It was just a regular cruiser, apart from the Kairoseki. The cannons were strong, heavy duty, and worth the effort of preparing them. The only issues I had involved the blood that I had to get out of the carpets and off of the deck. We were going to replace the carpets that were stained, mainly the carpeting in the communications room, which was now being refitted as my personal map room._

"_Hey." Sario said. "Out of rum?"_

"_For now." I said. "I'll be sure to buy plenty when we dock. Priority is getting the ship painted, and for that, I know a guy that can make this ship presentable. I'd like mostly black, but, maybe with actual wings painted so it'll fit right." He laughed as we leaned on the railing. "I'll sell a lot of the stuff they had, but if everything goes well, we should break even… I hope. We're keeping the uniforms though. You never know when we might find a use for them." He nodded and moved his feet slightly. "How's the crew settling in?"_

"_Everyone has a place to sleep, and they're, horsing around a bit." He said. "The new boy, Clarence, is having a little trouble, but as per your orders, no one's going to give him any grief."_

"_Good." I said. "I figure we'll arrive sometime in the morning, before the sun fully rises. Be sure to wake me up before then." He nodded and I sighed. "It's been about four or five months since I was last in Tougarest. I wonder how things have changed." He laughed. "I do know that I had something on order. I expect it'll come in handy now more than ever."_

"_Oh yeah?" He asked. "What is it?"_

"_A book." I said. "Specifically it's a book on a fighting style called Rokushiki. I faced someone that used it eight years ago, and there was no way I could hit him. The only way I can hope to face him is to learn how it works. He wasn't much older than me, so he either studied it from childhood, or he was a fast learner."_

"_I think I've heard about that." He said. "Not much, just that, not many people know it." I shrugged._

"_Depends on who you ask." I said. "The one I want to learn the most is called Soru. That's what he used against me. He moved so fast, I literally couldn't see him. If it wasn't for my luck, or… My untrained Kenbunshoku… I'd have been dead eight years ago."_

"_Soru…" He said. "Think I could read up on that one?" I shrugged again._

"_Sure." I said. "I get first dibs, but when I'm training to learn the technique, feel free to give it a look through. But don't think I'll go easy on your Haki training in the meantime." He laughed. "There are, I think six techniques in all, but there's rumor of a secret technique only a true master of all six can use."_

"_If that's true, maybe you should learn it." He said._

"_No, I'll just use what I need." I said. "Soru is my main focus. I can just, I remember that little punk dashing around the ship with an axe bigger than he was like it was nothing. I need to learn how the technique works, and I have to move even faster… I might have to learn at least one or two of the rest of the techniques. But, if all goes accordingly, when I meet him next time, it'll be me tearing through _his_ side with Yami and Kurobuchi."_  
>…<p>

I slowly opened my eyes and sat up, looking at my hair for a few seconds before stretching and yawning quietly. Standing, I walked to the bathroom and closed the door, just as the door to the room opened.

"Captain, we're being hailed by another ship!" Sario called quickly.

"Tell them I'll be out in a minute." I said tiredly. "Is it just me, or do things happen more often when I'm just waking up and going to the bathroom?" I sat on the toilet after lowering my underwear.

"Uh, bad timing?" He suggested. I yawned again. "I'll let them know." He left as I leaned back, but I laughed quietly.

'This is, great.' I thought. 'Two days as an honest to goodness captain. I can't wait until we get everything truly settled in. The Marines will have a story to tell… And maybe it'll be enough to attract that bastard that tried to kill me.' After finishing and washing my hands I made my way into the room and got dressed calmly. Just as I put my hat on as a knock at the door preceded a man walking in. "I'd say welcome, but you're already making yourself at home."

"Luna Veluria." He said. I looked and smiled.

"Nicky Tam." I said. He held out his hand, and I caught it in mid motion. "It's good to see you. How's things?"

"Quiet, but that's 'ow we like it." He said. "Marine ship?" I laughed. "You're a brave one, I'll give you that much, but 'eck, it won't say you're bloody _crazy_." I smiled widely. "So, got a name for it? Or is it forever a nameless ship?"

"The crew decided on calling it the Silver Wing." I said. "I've officially begun my reign as Cap'n Veluria." He laughed as I gestured to the door and we walked out. "Is Tess still making flags? I have a basic design or two. We're calling ourselves the Argentum Angelus Pirates, or the Silver Angels." He nodded.

"Good name." He said. "I 'ope you have all the luck in the seas."

"We'll need it." I said. He laughed. "I'll need a whole new look for the ship, full silver I'm thinking, and I'll need new sails. I'll be selling off a lot of stuff, if you and your friends want first pick of the cargo they had."

"I'll give it a look." He said. "Say, who's the guy with the feathers goin' barefoot? Right odd looker 'e is."

"That's Sario." I said. "He's my first mate and the crew weapon specialist dealing in close quarters." He nodded. "So far, it's just the one specialist. I'll need a proper cook, a quartermaster… I'll need a lot of good men and women to get this crew up to snuff." He nodded.

"You know it's bad luck 'aving a woman onboard though." He said. I nudged him and we laughed. "You can be a man or a woman, so you don't count."

"I count when I'm a girl." I said. He laughed as we made our way to the deck.

"I'll inform the dock master." He said. "Once you're squared away there, they'll move the ship to dry dock, and you can tell 'em 'ow you want it painted up."

"Cool." I said. "Hey, ever hear of something called Kairoseki?"

"Yeah, a bit." He said. "Marines are puttin' it on the bottom o' their ships now, some of 'em anyway. I 'ear it does some odd stuff to cursed folk like you."

"Yeah, I heard that too." I said. "Make sure they don't mess with it. This ship has the underside coated with it… Is there any in a shop in town?"

"Yeah, down at Max's shop." He said. "He got a few crates of it, blocks, and he says he'll make stuff out of it, coat weapons, even make bullets." I nodded as we stopped near the boarding plank. "Why?"

"I want to test a theory." I said. "I'll probably buy enough to make something for Sario, maybe even myself."

"It'll mess up your powers though." He said.

"Maybe there's a way around it, like if I don't touch it directly." I said. "I've been in the hold, right next to the bottom of the ship, and it didn't affect me at all. So maybe there's a way that if I put enough material between the stone and myself, it won't affect me. Like, paint it black and put it on some new gloves, and I can punch with it, yeah?" He laughed and held out his hand.

"I'll see you at the tavern." He said. "First round's on me." I took his hand.

"Sounds like a plan." I said. He let go of my hand and walked across the deck and I helped move the plank away. They moved behind us as we approached the harbor when Sario walked over. "We'll have the ship put in dry dock for repainting and some modifications. Odds are, it'll cost most of the money I've got, and a chunk of my treasure."

"Are you sure you can part with it all?" He asked. I shrugged.

"Couple gold bars from a World Noble, a few pounds from my stash, and we'll be set…" I said. "Maybe a few of the swords that aren't up to the task. But I want to keep the best of them, for my Nakama."

"Like me." He said. I nodded. "Who gets to have that title, besides me?"

"No idea." I said. "No one in the crew really seems all that worthy of it, you know? No special talents, no special training, no Haki talent among most of them."

"You can tell by looking at them?" He asked. I crossed my arms.

"You have a bit of talent." I said. "While I'm training you I'll have a better idea. Everyone can use some level of Haki. Maybe you see someone in a bar fight, tries to break a bottle on a table for a quick multi-pointed knife, but it breaks the table instead. Or you see someone dodge a bullet from point blank range, while the gun is right behind him. Maybe someone suddenly yells for everyone around him or her to quit fighting, and a number of people just, fall down."

"Well, I've seen two of those with you." He said. "Your skin and coat ignore that swords hit you, and that's _if_ you let them. But, the third… No, never."

"One in a million, pretty boy." I said.

"What does that mean?" He asked.

"I'll tell you later." I said. I moved my hands behind my head. "But after I'm done in the dry dock, we'll be set up in a few taverns and inns while I look to see if I can't find a few new crewmembers that are worth the trouble of having on."

"Anyone in particular you're looking for?" He asked. "I mean, I'm the weapons specialist, right?"

"Right, for melee." I said. "I'll need at least one good sharpshooter, a doctor, an infiltrator… People like that. Maybe a great cook. Pops' chef spoiled the heck out of me, especially on my birthday." He laughed quietly. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I love a good meal, and I can appreciate anything I eat, but I like five star quality food and drink… For that matter, I'm going to test the rum we'll be getting. The stuff you find on most ships is the cheap stuff, but anything in the middle or better range, sweet, dark, and just the right amount of spice."

"You and your rum." He said. I laughed.

"Yeah, but sometimes I like variety." I said. "Might get some sake…" I licked my lips. "Yeah, sake, nice and warm… Sario, when's the last time you had a nice bath?" He was silent, and I heard him sniff. "I'm not saying you stink. I'm asking, when's the last time you had a nice, hot, soothing bath?"

"Uh, I don't know about soothing, but I had a hot bath last night." He said. "Couldn't enjoy it much. Apparently one of the crew found a Marine hiding in the shower, killed him, and now the room stinks like blood and I can't find out where it's comin' from."

"Well, there's this bathhouse in town, and I won't let you miss out." I said. "Hot water, soothing currents, and it smells _fantastic_."

"Okay, sounds great." He said. "And, the rest of the crew?" I shrugged.

"We've all got money." I said. "I'm just treating the first of my Nakama to a great night, maybe even a massage." He put his arm over my shoulder.

"Captain, I think I'm going to enjoy being a pirate." He said. "I had a few doubts at first, but this is definitely a great perk."

"Yeah…" I said. "Lily."

"Eh?" He asked.

"We'll see Lily." I said. I looked at him. "She gives an amazing massage. I'm talking that kind of massage where your whole body just relaxes, and you might fall asleep during it and _dream_ about it for the next three weeks."  
>…<p>

I sighed heavily as I settled onto my stomach on the table. Sario was in the water nearby, relaxing to the scent of chamomile and the sound of the waves nearby. A few of the crew were there as well, just relaxing or having massages, while much of the rest were at the bar unwinding, with the order of not running amok in town.

Lily walked over and smiled as I looked at her. She was a young girl, about seventeen, with long black hair with two small bangs framing her face, and lovely purple eyes. She was thin, about twenty pounds lighter than me, and about half a foot shorter. Despite her youth, she was a master of massages. She wore a white dress that went down to her knees, and a pair of bright blue sandals.

"It's nice to see you again Luna." She said. "Where's your captain?"

"I left a few weeks ago." I said. "Struck out on my own. I'm now captain of the Star Angel Pirates." She smiled and giggled into her hand.

"I had a feeling you would, someday." She said. "So, where is your crew?" I looked at Sario as I rested my head on my arms.

"That's Sario Fanito." I said. She looked at him as he looked back at us, blushing a little. "First mate, swordsman and melee weapon specialist in training."

"It is nice to meet you Mr. Fanito." She said.

"Uh, likewise." He said.

"Will you have a massage after I am done with your captain?" She asked.

"Um…" He said, looking at me.

"Sure." I said. "On me. I couldn't very well bring a new pirate into Tougarest without getting your world famous massage." She giggled and I felt her put a little oil on my back.

"I see you've been through a bit of stress since you last were here." She said. She put her hands on my back and carefully went to work, and I sighed quietly.

"A little." I said. "It's not easy leaving home, and your family. I guess making my new friends helped a bit…" I groaned quietly and closed my eyes with a blissful smile. "Fighting the Marines kind of set it back though." She giggled quietly. "Turned out, their captain knew the guy that got Cap'n Ben… Didn't get any new information, but it's a start."

"I hope you find information someday." She said. "Soon, for Captain Ben's sake." I sighed contentedly as she rubbed my shoulders.

"You've gotten better." I said.

"I am still learning from Miss Lisa." She said. "She says I have the instincts to find the worst stress in a person and coax it out with ease… And I feel much stress from your lower back." I heard the water shift and I laughed quietly. "Mr. Fanito…"

"It's cool." I said. "He's like a brother to me already. Just watch it, he's a gentleman." They both laughed as she moved to my lower back, and I groaned quietly. "Oh, that's the spot."

"That's a new smile." Sario said. I looked at him.

"Lily's the best here, even if she hasn't finished her training." I said. "Like Miss Lisa said, Lily has this, innate knowledge of where…" I groaned again as she worked over a sensitive spot. "Stress is hiding…"

"I bet that felt good." He said. "The look on your face…" I sighed and turned my head, closing my eyes.

"She always looks like this when she gets a massage from me." Lily said. "She would wait patiently, and always has open appointments so she can see me. She can extend it to others, so she is extending one to you."

"Thanks." He said. After a few minutes of silence, she had worked over my entire back, legs, buttocks, and all of the usual trouble spots.

"Okay, turn over, if you can." She said.

"I'm now very glad I'm here." Sario said. I laughed as I turned over carefully.

"Stay in the water Sario." I said serenely. "Wouldn't want you to embarrass yourself right now." Lily went to work on my chest and I closed my eyes again. She was now between Sario and me, so that he couldn't see, but he was likely looking at her legs. She didn't mind, so long as no one tried to touch her. "Lily, I'm putting a crew together…" She giggled.

"My place is here." She said. "I'd like to, but I would do better here, helping as many as possible. There are other ways of relieving stress."

"Well, in that case, do you know any doctors that came by recently?" I asked. She rubbed my stomach and I sighed softly.

"No, but, there was this lady that, carried herself like one…" She said. "I offered a free massage, but she declined… She has a lot of stress, far too much for her age." She moved back and massaged my collar for a few moments. "She said she'd be at the inn across from the clinic though. Maybe, she is a doctor…"

"What does she look like?" I asked. "I need a doctor for the crew, just in case."

"Mmm, about your age." She said. "Uh, five foot, six I'd say, wearing a yellow shirt, a tank top, really tight blue pants… Dark brown hair and hazel eyes I think. She had a pretty gold bracelet on her right wrist… Average build, she looked a little pale." I sighed as she moved slightly and moved to my legs. "And you've been jumping from high places again, or jumping really high and landing hard on purpose."

"Fighting on a Marine ship." I said quietly. "Jumped down to back Sario up. Doesn't know how to use Haki."

"Hey, I was fine." He said.

"You can dodge fast because you have untapped Kenbunshoku." I said. "It makes you see fuzzy images in your mind of people trying to hurt you. They clear up when they really want you dead, but even then, fuzzy. Once you get a little better, it's always a lot clearer than what you currently see."

"Does he have talent?" Lily asked.

"Some." I said quietly. "Not exactly like Pops, but still more than most people. Fighters usually have more potential than most. They, acquire it…" I sighed and she laughed. "Through training."

"Okay, I think you're relaxed enough." She said. "Put your towel on and you can go to the private bath."

"Private?" Sario asked. "There's a private bathing room?"

"Yes, but it has a price tag." I said. "If you'd like, I'll ask them to get one ready for you, and you can choose a scented candle and some herbal bath salts." I moved the towel over my body and got up, tying it in the back as Lily gestured.

"Mr. Fanito, if you're ready?" She asked. He slowly moved but didn't get up, so I laughed.

"Sario, she's seen worse guys than you." I said. "Guys that just, stared at her breasts and got 'up'." Lily held her hand out to him and he slowly let her help him out of the bath as I turned toward the room as he stepped out of the water. "So, you want a bath after this or what?"

"Uh, sure." He said. I gave a casual wave as I walked up to the door.

"I'll let 'em know then." I said. "Enjoy your massage." I walked out toward the room in the hall and a young woman held the door open. "There's a man named Sario Fanito getting a massage, set a private room for him, first time." She nodded. "On my tab."

"Of course, Luna." She said. "I'll be sure to put the secondary shade on for you, as usual." I nodded and stepped in.

"Thanks Nikki." I said. She closed the door after me and I drew the shade, putting it on a hook to keep it closed before I removed the towel and wiped the excess oil off of my body before putting it on a table. I lit the candle with a match and stepped into the tub, putting my arms on the edge carefully before sitting on the shelf. My breathing was a little faster, but it was always like that when I took a bath. I felt a little sluggish, but I had my hand near a bell, and Nikki would be there the whole time in case I fell under. "Here we go." My body began the usual change, my hair turning brown, and my skin began taking on a lightly tanned shade all over. My breasts grew noticeably and my muscles gained more definition than usual. I looked at a mirror and saw, my old face, my brown eyes instead of the bright red. I inhaled softly, taking in the scent of the rose candle and the rose bath salts. "Hello Luna."


	15. The Ship's Doctor

**It's been a few weeks, but don't worry, I'm still working hard, and have some more chapters close to ready for Changing Tides. I just want to keep this at a slightly slower pace to flesh out the crew a little better. Gallade's Arm will slow down a little as well, along with Digital Sheriff. Apart from these three stories, I'm working on another project. Once I've gotten about four good chapters for it, I'll start posting it for two or three weeks before going back to the others.**

**I'm also starting to post on DeviantArt now and then. Just use the search for Digital Sheriff and you should find me. I'll soon start posting some of my other work in a while, but I'm still going on my Friday only posting system, one chapter at a time.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to One Piece. Thank you, and have a nice day.  
>…<strong>

I pulled my hat down as I stood at the counter while Sario walked in, with a noticeable bounce in his step. I laughed quietly as he walked over, fixing his headband.

"Hey." He said. "This was, great." I nodded as I pulled out my wallet and put down the money. "How often do you think we'll swing by Tougarest?"

"Once every few months if we're in the area." I said. "I was here a few weeks ago with Pops."

"Yeah?" He asked. "He get a massage?"

"He has someone on the ship for that." I said. "Helps him fall asleep after a rough day." The counter girl took the money as I put the wallet away.

"Have a nice day Luna." She said. She looked at Sario. "Mr. Fanito, to you as well." He smiled as I turned, putting my arm around his shoulder.

"Uh, you too." He said.

"Come on, we're going to my favorite bar in this Blue." I said. He laughed as I walked him out.

"Okay." He said. "I should tell you, I don't drink much."

"Don't worry, you can say no." I said, laughing. "They have all kinds of drinks. Juices of all kinds, they'll even mix whatever you want with whatever else." We walked out and he sighed.

"I, haven't felt this relaxed…" He started. I laughed. "Ever. I feel better than I have in years."

"I actually took lessons from Lisa." I said. He looked at me. "Truth. I'm not quite as good, but I just need a little practice."

"So, offer?" He asked. I laughed and rubbed his shoulder.

"Maybe." I said. "If you overdo it with your training. Here it is." He looked at the sign.

"The Golden, Peach…" He said slowly. "Uh, that, woman on the sign…"

"Yeah, it's a bar and brothel." I said. "Pirates need to unwind. Some drink, some take in a dance, some find a bed to share. You're allowed to spend the whole night. It's a bed, bar, and brothel." He laughed nervously.

"I uh…" He started. I patted his chest.

"You can actually pay just to spend the night." I said. "Pirates aren't that judgmental. You ask to spend the night, she asks for five Berri. You ask for breakfast, maybe twenty. If you want to talk, they'll talk to you for ten, maybe twenty Berri an hour." He laughed. "Come on, that guy that came to welcome us, he's buyin' the first round for me. Yours is on me." He put his arm around my shoulder and we started walking.

"What are we waitin' for?" He asked. We walked in and the sounds of laughter were heard, and I held my hand up, counting down from three. "Uh…" I pointed as I hit one.

"Hey, Luna!" A man called.

"Lu!" Another called.

"Yo, sharp suit!" Yet another called. Several dozen people called out as I held my arm up.

"Guys, good to see ya!" I called. There was general laughter as we walked in. We sat up at the bar as Nicky sat by me. "Tam, what's up?" He laughed as he held his hand up.

"The usual?" He asked.

"You know it." I said. I nudged his side. "This is Sario, my first mate." Nick held his hand out in front of me.

"Nice to meet ya." He said. Sario took his hand. "Nicky Tam, local 'arbor security."

"Security?" Sario asked. Nick laughed as he let go of Sario's hand.

"Just 'cause we're under a certain pirate's protection doesn't mean Marines aren't dumb." He said. "Marines, the dumb ones tryin' to make names, sometimes try to dock, and we let 'em, but we confiscate weapons and ammo. Sometimes they don't let us, so we scuttle 'em right then and there." The bartender walked over and put a small thing of sake in front of me, without the usual serving dish. She winked and I smiled.

"What are you having, handsome?" She asked, looking to Sario. He laughed nervously.

"Uh, what do you, recommend?" He asked. She winked.

"I'll be back in a bit." She said. She walked away and Sario leaned on the bar to watch her.

"Hey, careful there kid." Nick said. "She's just in it for the flirtin', or maybe gettin' paid a bit to spend the night with ya. She's good, but she's no girlfriend." She walked over and put a glass of amber liquid down.

"Fresh, cold apple cider, and a touch of sake." She said. "My favorite." She winked and walked away as I held up my own sake.

"Here's to a new pirate crew, the Star Angels." I said. Sario held up the glass as Nick held his up.

"The Star Angels." They said. I tapped Sario's glass before tapping Nick's. I sipped my sake when I heard something.

"Let go!" A woman said. I looked over at a pirate from another crew pulling a waitress down onto his lap, and she struggled. "Stop it, Joe!" He tried to kiss her and she slapped him. I finished my sake as Sario looked over.

"I've got this one." I said. I put the bottle down and got up. I walked over as the waitress struggled, and just as she got away, the man pulled her skirt down, and she barely grabbed it. "Hey, leave her alone."

"Buzz off." He said. "All the girls here are for sale, even you if you keep bugging me." He went to grab her wrist so I grabbed the collar of his shirt, picking him up.

"Where's your captain?" I asked.

"That'd be me." A man said from the door. I looked over as the man struggled. "What did he do?"

"He's disregarding the rules of the Peach." I said. "Don't bother the girls when they say they're not having guests, never touch their clothes unless you're in a room, and don't cause a negative scene. And one of my rules. Don't give me trouble when I'm drinking." The man walked in as the other one struggled, so I looked at him, narrowing my eyes. He instantly stopped struggling, so I looked at his captain as he removed his gloves. He was a large, somewhat imposing man, about six foot four with a black vest and shirt with long black pants. "Care to discipline him, or am I throwing him out?"

"Let him go." He said. "He's just having fun. What's the harm?"

"The harm is, he's harassing the waitress, and pretty much planning on raping her." I said. "As a _captain_, I'd think you'd want your crew to reflect positively on you, not make asses out of themselves, and thus _you_." He laughed and pushed my shoulder, so I glared at him. "Do that again and it's self defense." My voice was low and dangerous, and the tables all around, save the one the idiot was at, instantly cleared the general area. "Do you know who I am?"

"A bitch that thinks she's tough." He said. I let go of his crewman, but grabbed the back of his head and threw him into the captain. They both fell over as the others got up, so I kicked the closest one and spun, grabbing the head of another and smacking him into the last one at the table. I drew Kurobuchi and pointed it at the two on the ground, and they stopped moving. "N-not fair!"

"Pirate." I said. "Since you didn't know, I'll tell you who I am… Or rather… Boys?"

"She's Luna D. Veluria!" A pirate called, holding his drink up.

"_Captain_ Luna!" Sario called.

"Current user of the Henkan-Henkan no Mi." I said. I put Kuro on my shoulder as they moved to stand. "Now you take your crew, leave the Peach, and go find a place where the girls don't care what you do to them. If I find out you've been in here, ever, I'm going to take you out back and throw you a mile out to sea." They scrambled up and the rest of his crew followed him out the door. I spun Kuro over my wrist before sheathing it. I looked at the waitress as she smiled. "Better?"

"Much." She said. "Thanks." I nodded and went to the bar where Sario laughed quietly.

"You, are way too famous here." He said. I sat down on the stool as a bottle of sake was set down.

"On the house." She said. I smiled as she walked toward the other end of the bar to take care of some others.

"New girl puts new guy in 'is place." Nick said. "Well done. I'd expect no less from _'is_ favorite daughter." I sipped my sake as Sario drank his apple cider.

"He'd be proud of you." He said. We nodded.

"That 'e would." Nick said. He drank the last of his drink and put his hand on my shoulder. "I've gotta get back to work. 'er drink's on my tab." We laughed as he walked out, kissing the bartender on the cheek.

"He's a, pretty cool guy." Sario said.

"Yeah, friendly enough." I said. "Head of harbor security on this side, he has to stay sharp. But one or two drinks on duty won't give him trouble."

"Glad you stepped in against that idiot and his buddies." He said. "If it were me, I might have killed 'em."

"If I saw you getting into it, I would have followed." I said. "Nothing gets you going like a bar fight." He laughed and held his glass up, so I tapped it with the little clay bottle.

"This place is great." He said.

"Just wait." I said. "You've seen the spa and one bar. That's hardly the toast of Tougarest. Next, I'm going to head to the pawn shop to pick up my book, and then I'll go get our doctor. If you want, you can come with me to the shop, but I'd like you to come back and keep an eye on the crew." He nodded as I drank a little more. "Mmm, good stuff."  
>…<p>

I walked into the clinic and looked around. It was mostly empty, but I saw the woman that Lily described taking a small amount of money. She had an air about her that I recognized. Sorrow, mixed with desperation, but also the air of someone that was running from something. Many of Whitebeard's crew were initially running, so I knew how to spot it. She looked exactly like Lily described. Clothing, features… She was good at remembering people.

"Are you sure, I can't get more for my time?" She asked. "I really need more to cover the rent."

"I'm sorry." The doctor at the counter said. "This is what we agreed upon when you first came by. I want to help you, but it might cost me my job, and, I have a family to support." She sighed. "I'm truly sorry. If you'd just sign on full time…"

"No, I, I need to find a ship, to get away…" She said. "I, I'll be fine." She put the money in her purse and shook his hand. "Thank you."

"Good luck." He said. He walked away as I leaned against the door frame and she turned. She walked over, but stopped a few feet away.

"Are you okay?" She asked. "You look, pale…" She was suddenly right in my face, actually surprising me. She felt my forehead, looked right into my eyes, ears, and even in my mouth, felt my neck and wrist for a pulse, and somehow managed to remove my hat and search my head, all in the span of thirty seconds. "No, strong pulse, perfectly healthy… Strange."

"Uh, yeah, it's just how I look." I said. I held out my hand and she flinched back a little. "I'm, Luna Veluria… I, was looking for you." She narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Who sent you?" She asked warily.

"No one…" I said. "Well, Lily, at the bathhouse… But she just told me that she thought you might be a doctor." She crossed her arms, but I saw that she was thinking. I lowered my arm. "You need money?" She nodded and looked down before raising her head quickly.

"Is someone hurt?" She asked.

"No, thankfully." I said. "But, I'm putting a crew together. Just got here today with them, got a good sized crew as is, but I was working on finding specific people to fill specific spots. I want a doctor, maybe a few nurses to help…"

"You're a pirate?" She asked quickly. "Who is your captain? Do I know them? Have I met them? Impressed them maybe? Maybe I healed them…" She spoke quickly for a few moments before stopping. "What's wrong, why aren't you talking?"

"I'm listening to you." I said with a quiet laugh. I stepped from the door. "I like you. You're pretty cool. Maybe a bit high strung, but cool." She blushed slightly. "But, to answer your question, _I_ am the captain." She blinked.

"You can't be more than twenty one at the oldest." She said. "Pretty young for a…" She sniffed and moved close to me, opening my mouth. "Exhale." I went to talk and she closed my mouth. "You've been drinking. You're drunk."

"I'm not drunk." I said defensively. "Two small bottles of sake."

"Typical of pirates, drinking to pass the time." She said.

"Drinking to celebrate getting here with our ship." I said, crossing my arms. "And, giving a bunch of jerks the boot out of the bar."

"You're young, too young to drink responsibly." She said.

"Uh, no." I said. "I'm a pirate. I don't care for the laws of the World Government."

"It's not healthy." She said.

"Look, back to the point, I'm looking for a doctor." I said. "And if you're good, I'm willing to…"

"I'm one of the best." She said quickly. "Just ask anyone that works here. I can handle any kind of trauma you'd expect of typical pirate and Marine battles, and more besides. I keep up to date on all procedures and surgeries…" She went on again, but I couldn't feel a single lie in her words. After a few minutes she sighed. "You said you have a ship?"

"Yes." I said. "Silver Wing. I'll get a new one, eventually. For now, it's a former Marine vessel, nothing special but Kairoseki…"

"Seastone." She said. "Marvelous stuff. Keeps Sea Kings from attacking, cutting the number of deaths down considerably… Among Marines at least, but if they can ever make synthetic but equally reliable versions, cheap enough at least, it'll make travelling much less hazardous." I laughed as she looked at me. "What?" I slowly held out my hand.

"You know, I believe you." I said. "Something tells me you're as good as you say you are. Just need a few nurses to help you out, and I'm sure you'll be accepted by the crew. Especially me." She laughed quietly as she slowly took my hand.

"You're, kidding, right?" She asked.

"No." I said. "By tomorrow, we'll probably have about a few nurses, candidates at least." I laughed quietly as she sighed.

"Well, I'd rather, train my own assistants." She said. I tilted my head.

"Doesn't that take a very long time?" I asked.

"Trust me, once they know what's what, it'll be simple." She said. "In fact, I'll teach you."

"O, kay…" I said slowly.

"Oh, don't worry." She said. "I can tell by your swords you're not afraid of blood, so you'll do just fine."

"Yeah, but, I'm the _captain_." I said slowly. She laughed.

"Where are you staying?" She asked. I followed her out and pointed down the street.

"Down at the Red Board." I said. She gasped.

"Ugh, that place is _horrid_." She said. "Honestly, the conditions are just, terrible. I don't know if they ever clean anything or just _throw it out_ for new, _tacky_ things." I looked at her.

"Hey, it's not all tacky." I said. "You haven't seen the suites…" She sighed. "Trust me, the suites are great… What's going on there?" She turned and gasped.

"No, wait, my things!" She cried. She ran over and I followed. "You said I had until tonight!"

"Boss said to take it out." A large man said apologetically. "I told him what I told you, and he told me to put it out or find a new job. I'm sorry." She whimpered.

"M-my things…" She said.

"I made sure everything was treated gently, put in this trunk." He said. "Papers…" He put his hand on a few boxes. "In these. I'm sorry. He won't take your money because you're so late. But, you know, that means you don't have to pay." She laughed weakly, but I slowly put my hand on her shoulder, and she jumped slightly.

"Hey, I've got this." I said. "We can split a suite at the…"

"No, I can't stay there." She said quickly. "Too unsanitary. I need somewhere, cleaner."

"Uh, in Tougarest?" I asked. "The cleanest place is…"

"Up the road, I know." She said. I sighed.

"Well, I can spring for a few weeks." I said. "They give a discount for people like me."

"Good luck." The man said. "Glad you made a friend."

"Thank you." She said. He walked in and she sighed. "Great, these will take _hours_ to get there with just the two of us." She grabbed a box. "We'll come back for…" I picked up the trunk and most of the rest of the small boxes. "The…" I looked at her.

"So, up at the Gold Wind?" I asked. She nodded shakily.

"H-how, can you lift that?" She asked quietly. "That's, at least ninety pounds, unevenly distributed. I, I'd have to, have _help_." I laughed.

"I could carry ten of these." I said. She took a staggering step and turned to walk backward slightly. "So, what's your name, anyway?" She blushed.

"Uh, L-Larisa." She said. "I, I don't…"

"Larisa." I repeated. "Nice to meet you…" I laughed as I started walking. "Nicer to meet a girl my own age." She quickly caught up to me.

"A-actually, I'm, a little older than I look." She said. I looked at her.

"You're, what, twenty, twenty five, oldest?" I asked. She cleared her throat.

"I'm, actually thirty." She said. I stopped and looked at her as she turned. "I, eat healthy, and exercise, and I don't drink or smoke." I shifted the trunk carefully, smiling.

"You look amazing for thirty." I said. She laughed. "Well, I hope you like a fancy suite with a _massive_ bed. The maids and cleaning staff are thorough… If the hotel itself is sorely lacking in dishes for growing pirate captains like me. Honestly, the food is okay, but, man, they just shrink the serving size to, kid portions." She laughed as I walked by her. "So, you're sure you don't mind being a pirate? It's not a life meant for the faint of heart. You need to be ready for high seas, adventure, and battles with the Marines that might end with injuries you don't normally see on land."

"After just getting here, I can deal with anything being a pirate brings." She said. "I promise, I won't do anything that could put anyone in danger, I won't complain about little things, and I won't get in your way for _anything_." I looked at her.

"Don't worry." I said. "I'm a lenient captain for some stuff. It's the major stuff I have issues with. Getting blind drunk, for example, I don't allow on duty, and I discourage it on shore leave." She looked at me. "I'll have a few drinks now and then, but you won't see me stumbling around like an idiot, slurring my words, or even acting tipsy."

"You were swaying your steps though." She said. "Indicative of being inebriated."

"Actually, that's not why I walk the way I do." I said. "You will, too, after a few months at sea. It's getting used to the rhythm of the sea. The way the ship moves on the waves, you start swaggering a little. People that haven't been out to sea know it as 'getting your sea legs'."


	16. Making Friends Already

**I haven't posted in a while, so here it is, chapter sixteen. Enjoy… It's also been a while since I posted on Friday the 13th. Interesting. Still, please enjoy the chapter, and tell me what you think.**

**While I'm here, there is a Tumblr account you can pose questions to called Ask-Doodledash. If you have questions regarding the subject and wish to see the tale weaved to the question, go there… Go there anyway, browse the pictures. It's good work.**

**Anyway, more setup work for the chapter, no fighting, but plenty of character development. Honestly, the next few chapters are mainly setup, since I need the crew just right before I unfurl the sails.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to One Piece. Thank you, and have a nice day.  
>…<strong>

Sario walked in as I looked over the book Larisa had given me. He went to speak but I held my finger up. He slowly walked over and sat down as I put the bookmark in place.

"Is that, a book on, medicine?" He asked.

"It's actually interesting…" I said. "Kind of." I raised it and he looked at me. "I've got us a doctor, and she, doesn't want nurses. She wants _us_ to learn how to help her."

"Wait, what?" He asked. "She wants us to, help her operate?" I shrugged.

"I guess." I said. "We'll probably have to practice at some point so we don't hurt anyone, but, hey, you learn something like this, it'll come in real handy if she's not around when we need her, or if she's too busy saving someone else then."

"Uh, makes sense, I guess." He said. He shook his head. "Anyway, I just heard something really strange at my hotel." He held his hand up. "Your old captain was _Whitebeard_? They're saying you were part of the crew, of the most powerful man in the world!" I laughed as he stood up. "What the hell kinds of rumors are you spreading about yourself…" I held up my hands.

"Whoa, cool it, calm down." I said. "It's true. I wouldn't lie about that." He slowly sat down again. "I thought you'd know. I said my dad was the most powerful man in the world… How much do you know about him, anyway? It's common knowledge that he treats his crew like we're his children." He blinked as I set the book on the bed beside me. "Jeeze, I guess… You didn't know that."

"Uh, no, I didn't…" He said. "But why didn't you ever say his name?" I shrugged and laughed.

"I guess I'm just used to thinking everyone knows." I said. "He'd come into town every time, get a massage and a few other things to deal with his stress, maybe get a nice soothing bath, and he'd always treat us to a huge feast."

"You should stop assuming that we'd all just guess that." He said.

"That we'd guess what?" Larisa asked. I looked at her as Sario jumped out of the seat, slipping and falling on me, causing me to yelp in surprise. I laughed as he groaned. "Who, is he?"

"Sario." I said. I tapped his shoulder and he got up quickly.

"Uh, sorry, sorry…" He said quickly. I held up my hands.

"Hey, chill." I said. I sat up as he cleared his throat.

"I, uh, I'm…" He started. I tapped his arm.

"This is Sario Fanito, my first mate and our melee weapons specialist in training." I said. "Sario, this is Larisa." He slowly held his hand out, but she didn't offer hers. "She's got a thing about touching. Takes her a bit to feel comfortable enough." I stood up and held up the book. "By the way, this is actually a pretty cool book. I had no idea my stomach was so… Small."

"W-what, small?" She asked. "It expands…"

"Yeah, but, even at its fullest, it ain't that big." I said.

"I, I don't understand." She said. "What do you mean? It holds several liters of… Whatever you eat and drink."

"Or barrels, in Luna's case." Sario said.

"Okay, now you're _both_ confusing me." She said. "What do you mean _barrels_? That much food would kill her easily. Sure, she's strong, but no one can eat a barrel of food… You can't even drink a gallon of _anything_ in a single _hour_." I laughed.

"Uh, I'm sorry." I said, rubbing my head. "I forgot to mention… I'm cursed."

"C-cursed?" She repeated.

"I ate the Henkan-Henkan no Mi." I said. "It's, a common thing among us, I guess, that makes us really, _really_ hungry. I can eat enough food for a family of five adults, drink until most people would die of alcohol poisoning, and… Can't swim to save… Anyone…" I laughed but she walked over and suddenly felt my forehead. "What are you…" She opened my mouth and shined a light in as I flailed my arms, and Sario started laughing. "Hey."

"Amazing, you don't look any different than a normal human…" She said. "But you have a, tremendous appetite?"

"Monstrous." Sario said. "I've seen her eat enough food for a dozen people. Family of five is, kind of underselling just how much she _can_ eat, and _not gain a pound_!" He laughed as she shined the light into my eye, and I put my hand to it.

"Okay, let's just…" I started. She suddenly turned my head. "Larisa, what are you…"

"I've heard that Cursed People have something that makes them different, physically." She said. "It's always different, but, it's useful to know what it is, in case it might be detrimental to your health." I carefully took her hand and cleared my throat.

"What's different about me, is whatever I want it to be." I said. I stood up and set the book down as I cleared my throat again. My body began shifting and she gasped as I assumed her appearance and voice. "Now, this might be _why_ I can eat so much. My stomach can expand further, and my metabolism is through the roof, if not the sky." I opened my mouth and she suddenly had the flashlight there again, surprising me. "La… Hey…" Sario laughed even harder as I flailed.

"Stop, please, I can't, I can't…" He breathed. "I can't breathe! This is…" The chair fell over, but he never stopped laughing. When she was done, he was still laughing quietly. "Oh, I, I've never laughed that hard in my life." He stood up, and went to speak when Larisa began looking him over, immediately looking at his head.

"Now hold still." She said firmly. "You might have hit your head on the way down, but your laughter and good mood might have made it hard for you to notice." He struggled as I returned to normal, smiling. "Is he cursed as well? If so, what is it?"

"He's not cursed." I said. "Just a physically superior guy of… Uh… Sario, how old are you anyway?"

"T-twenty, two." He said as she opened his mouth.

"You look a little young for your age." Larisa said. "I'd have guessed nineteen. You're in good shape, as far as your face tells… I'll need to do a full physical to be sure, maybe a blood test to check for any deficiencies." She looked in his ear as I sat down again. "How is your diet? Are you eating enough fruits and vegetables?"

"Uh, I guess." He said. "A few apples, maybe an orange at breakfast… Uh, carrots or celery with dinner… And, a lot of meat."

"Protein heavy diet…" She said quietly. "How many carrots and celery stalks, and how many apples and or oranges?"

"T-two or three, each for the vegetables…" He said. "Uh, usually one or two apples, or oranges…" She stepped back and put the light away.

"Good." She said. "But you should eat more. And brush your teeth more often. Just because your breath isn't a weapon on its own doesn't mean you've got good hygiene. Luna, what about you?"

"Uh, meal wise…" I said. "Lots of meat, usually, six, seven pounds per meal… Probably twenty or so apples and oranges together, maybe a half gallon of water a day." I laughed. "I'm usually too busy eating to really care about how much is going in." She walked over and I looked at her. "And surprisingly, not a lot comes out, solid wise."

"Well, that may be a problem." She said. "You'll want more fiber in your diet, plenty more vegetables." I nodded.

"Consider it done." I said. "I'm not about to hire a doctor on and then disregard whatever you tell me to do."

"Good." She said. "Now, where is the rest of the crew? I'd like to give a cursory examination to everyone, just to be safe."

"Where are they?" I asked.

"At the Red Board." He said. Larisa shivered. "What?"

"Dusty and not well cared for." I said. "I guess they fired the maid…" He snapped his fingers.

"We should hire a cleaning staff for the ship." He said. I laughed as Larisa looked at him. "Come on, that'd be perfect. We won't have to do so much to keep the ship clean!"

"And I'm just fine with a mop and pail." I said. "I'd rather have everyone take pride in keeping the Silver Wing clean." He sighed.

"Not even, one maid?" He asked. I snickered as Larisa sighed.

"Physically an adult, mentally a _teenager_." She said.

"What?" He asked. "I mean, you want us to learn about medicine and, stuff like that… A maid could teach us how to clean stuff… And maybe, do the laundry. I don't know a lick about stuff like that."

"Yes, I can tell." Larisa said quietly. She turned to me and Sario sniffed his vest a few times before she turned back. "Mr. Fanito, why, are you not wearing shoes? Your feet look, filthy."

"It makes me feel like I'm closer to the earth." He said simply. "I watch where I'm going a little more, and my feet are, a little tougher." She looked at me.

"I wear my boots everywhere, but I like the way he thinks." I said. "If you feel more in touch with the world around you, then, that's pretty cool, right?" She sat down and sighed.

"Fine, I won't argue on that, but if your feet get cut, make sure you come to me quickly." She said. "Now, where exactly is this, Silver Wing?"

"Dry dock." I said. "Stole it from the Marines." She looked at me.

"You _stole a Marine ship_?" She asked.

"Hey, Sario said the same thing…" I said. "Kind of. He asked that when I told him that we were _going to_ steal it." She was silent, looking at him and then me. "But yeah, Sario and I disguised ourselves, said we were from the private sector, and they let us on board, no problem. We got out to sea, waited, and then… Took over. Killed a lot of the Marines, left some to tell the story, and… Then we came here after letting them go. Actually, there are two guys in the crew are former Marines. One's a dishonorable discharge, thanks to me, and the other just, defected to my crew." She leaned back and looked up.

"How much danger are we going to be in?" She asked. "I mean, I know I wanted to become a pirate… But…"

"It's not so bad." I said. "I'll teach you how to protect yourself." She looked at me as I smiled, and Sario laughed as he got up and went toward the bathroom. "While I know doctors have that, uh, Hippocratic Oath and all, I don't want you to be in danger if we're being attacked." I shrugged. "After all, if you get hurt, it might be a long way to a half decent doctor who can help you." She laughed quietly as Sario flushed the toilet and washed his hands before walking out.

"What'd I miss?" He asked.  
>…<p>

I leaned slightly forward on the table as the woman sang, and Sario watched her with a smile. Larisa had met the crew, and was sitting nearby while the pirates all around watched the show. I was just listening to the music, waiting for a chance to embarrass my friend. She was serving, and I saw her walking over.

"This singer is very good." Larisa said. "A very wide vocal range… I hope she doesn't strain her vocal cords…"

"She'll be fine." I said. "She's practiced since she was a little girl. For now, get ready for the real show." They looked at me as Jessica walked over.

"Hey Luna, good to see you back so soon." She said. "I guess this is your crew?"

"Yeah." I said. "Part of it." I gestured. "This is Larisa, our doctor." Jessica bowed slightly. "And this is Sario Fanito."

"A pleasure." He said. She giggled as she stood up.

"Hope you don't mind, I used your name for a disguise." I said. She smirked. "And I found something. A picture I think you'll like." I pulled the rolled up picture out and she walked over as I put it down and rolled it out. Larisa coughed on her water as Sario grinned. Jessica gasped.

"Where did you get that?" She asked in a whisper.

"On my ship." I said. "I don't know what happened… But I never knew you had a job as a model."

"That's not funny." She said.

"What?" I asked. "Look at this. It's tasteful." She blushed crimson and rolled the paper up and put it on the ground.

"Luna." She said. I held up my hands.

"Hey, I just found it." I said. "It's not like I put in for a bunch of copies to spread around the port." She groaned quietly. "At least only we know… And one other guy, but he'll have forgotten about it by now."

"W-well…" She said quietly. "What, are you having to drink?"

"I think the usual for me." I said. "Sario prefers juice, and Larisa…" I gestured as she cleared her throat.

"Just water please." She said. Jessica nodded and pointed at me, so I held up my hands.

"I found it on the ship we stole." I said. "It's yours." She picked the paper up and walked away, still blushing. Larisa cleared her throat again so I looked over.

"Was that really necessary?" She asked. "I can tell that she's your friend, but, aren't you worried she'll put something in your drink? Something, possibly dangerous?"

"She won't." I said. "She's a really good friend, and I've known her for a long time. She'd only put something in a drink if you stiff her on the tip, which I _can't_ do. Look at her." I turned and gestured. "She's got a job to do. It's not the best paying, it doesn't have the best hours, but she lives on tips, so she has to make sure she doesn't make that impossible by screwing with customers."

"Well, if she puts something in your drink, I should have something to help." She said.

"I'd have ordered some juice." I said. "Water's fine, but the juice here has a reputation. They actually distill most of it to add more flavor, and then they put it in powdered form, add it to water, and you get a great tasting drink."

"I know." She said. I looked at her. "That's why I just want water. The distillation removes all of the nutrients and vitamins. It tastes wonderful, but it's nothing for your health." I shrugged.

"So it's like drinking delicious water." I said.

"I suppose." She said. "I just prefer water. It's what I may as well be drinking." I laughed as Sario drank his water. There was a pitcher, and it was empty from them. After a few minutes Jessica returned and set two mugs in front of me, a glass of apple juice in front of Sario, and a fresh pitcher in the middle of the table, taking the old one. But before we could thank her, she swatted me over the head with her towel repeatedly, making me cover my drinks. "M-miss…"

"Hey, come on, watch the hat…" I laughed. Jessica stopped and put her towel back.

"Next time, not in front of your crew." She said.

"Not my fault they're here." I said.

"You invited them!" She said.

"Actually, we just kind of, followed her in while we were talking." Larisa said. "We, invited ourselves, to be honest." Jessica walked over to Sario and suddenly hit him with her towel.

"Hey, what did I do?" He asked.

"You stared at the picture." She said, blushing deeply. She pointed at Larisa, and she held her hands up. "You've just met Luna, so I can forgive you, this time." She pointed at me. "She's a troublemaker." I smiled as she walked away, but not before swatting me one last time. I fixed my hat and looked at her.

"I really need to get to know her." Sario said. "She's, fun."

"Yeah, but she's got a temper." I said. "She won't hurt you, but she'll use that towel to slap you silly."

"What are you drinking?" Larisa said. "Grape juice?"

"Rum." I said. "Made in the back room." She sighed. "Just two mugs." I leaned forward. "To be honest, I don't drink the strong stuff. I go for the best tasting with the lowest amount of alcohol." She blinked as Sario drank his juice. "I'm not a lightweight, but what I do drink is usually just for flavor rather than getting drunk." I leaned back. "Of course that means I get to drink that much more when I do feel like making an idiot out of myself." She sighed.

"Let me guess, you get drunk, find a man, and try to beat the odds of a child." She said.

"Actually, I get a little drunk, find a guy, drink him under the table, and then dance on it." I said. Sario laughed as I smiled. "I don't intend to have a kid for a very long time. I'm not one of those pirate girls that finds a man, has her way with him, has a kid, and then just takes off after abandoning it." I put my hand to the mug. "I've got my reasons, so until I'm good and ready, I'm only having a kid if I adopt one." Sario seemed to be fighting a laugh, so I leaned on the table and looked at him. "What?"

"I'm trying, to imagine you, as a mother…" He said. "Buying a new flask, filling it with milk, and putting a bottle nipple on it." I imagined that and laughed.

"Totally." I laughed. "I would _totally_ do that, now that you've said it." He laughed with me and I moved back, raising the mug. "Here's to the two of you, and the crew."

"To the Silver Angels." Sario said.

"To being free." Larisa said. I held my mug out and met their glasses.  
>…<p>

I stretched as we walked out of the hotel. Larisa was tired, but she was feeling good. I had no hangover, so that meant I was victorious again, but Larisa actually walked me back to the hotel because I'd been challenged to a contest, with my rum of choice. The guy chose the strongest, and he was a clear rookie. He chose the strongest, and I chose my usual. He just laughed and chugged his drinks while I just drank mine normally. In the end though, I was still drunk, so Larisa walked me back to the hotel with me smiling and laughing the whole way.

"I find it difficult to believe you aren't hungover." She said after a few feet. I looked at her. "How is it possible? We went right to bed."

"You did." I said. "I spent part of the night thinking, letting the rum wear off, and I read a few pages of the book. I have a whole new respect for a lot of pirates I've known now." She laughed quietly.

"Keep reading, and you'll learn a lot more." She said. "By the way, I have an idea how to train you for surgery, if you're the one that has to do it for, whatever reason. Pork."

"Breakfast, a good place for a conversation." I said. "I like the way you think." She laughed.

"No, I mean pigs." She said. "Similar to humans in many ways. They're perfect human analogues. We buy some pigs, the whole pig, and you can practice using a scalpel by cutting it into, bacon, chops… And whatever else you'll want." I nodded and put my hand to my chin.

"I'll say it again, I like the way you think." I said. "Though, I've actually butchered pigs before, so we'll get some good cuts." She shook her head as she laughed. "So, what kinds of supplies will you need?"

"Um, a lot, really…" She said. "It won't be cheap."

"And we won't go for the cheap stuff unless it's better than the expensive junk." I said. She looked at me. "Hey, cost doesn't often equal quality. Sometimes it's possible to find what you need for a low price, and it's better than what could cost you a lot of money. Our ship, for example. Cost, killing off a majority of the Marine crew. Other ships from a shipyard, hundreds of thousands if not a million or more Beri, even more. But a Marine ship is actually quite well made, and this is a good one. It cost the Marines a lot, but it didn't cost me more than a few days pretending to be a Marine and having my own crew lying in wait." She sighed.

"Well, for medical equipment, I want to inspect it, and you as well." She said. She pointed at me. "And don't lose focus. This is important." I nodded.

"I know." I said. "Don't worry, I'll pay attention. And, for scalpels, I've got an eye for blades… Might even have some special scalpels commissioned for you."


	17. On Our Way

**As we last left our crew, Tougarest was kind to Luna and Sario, and she made a new friend and crewmember, Doctor Larisa. After a few drinks, and a beating with a towel for revealing a picture of her friend, Luna is finally ready to set sail on a ship of her own. There's still a long journey ahead, and this is a slow chapter, but it's the journey that's the fun part, not the destination, and that destination is a very long way off.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to One Piece. Thank you, and have a nice day.  
>…<strong>

As I walked along the deck, I felt the edge. Sario was looking below deck, and Larisa was looking for a place to set up shop. The rest of the crew were claiming their beds and horsing around. Selling off the gold bars yielded more than I thought it would, just over three million Beri. The rest of the stuff, about thirty five thousand in junk, somewhat more than I expected. The paint was perfect. Dark blue with silver at certain points, creating a pair of silver wings across both sides, but only if you looked at it from a good enough distance. It was, poetic in a way.

"Luna?" Larisa asked. I looked up and saw her walking over. "I've looked over the medical bay, and it's more than adequate for what I'll need. Thankfully you didn't sell off the beds and tables."

"I figured that a doctor would want them." I said. "And I'm glad I did." She nodded and looked at Tougarest as I turned.

"I'm going to set up a pig in a little while to show you and a few others what to do." She said. "Basic incisions, locations of organs and what they do, and anything else that you can help me with. I'm sure you'll be skilled by the end of a few months."

"I'm sure you're right." I said happily. "And we're almost ready to leave. Just need your supplies and the food, and we'll be set." We turned around and I leaned back. "Too bad I couldn't find a chef, or a good cook. I guess that means we'll have to find someone among the crew that can handle it for now."

"Well, I believe Jenkins can handle that much." She said. I went over the images in my head of the crew.

"Yeah, he'll do." I said. "Clean freak. You know the food will be sanitary… Probably not the best though." I stepped forward. "So, what to do until your supplies and our food gets here…" I shrugged. "I think I'll do some training." I pulled my Rokushiki book out and whistled. "Sario!" He stuck his head out of a porthole.

"Yo!" He called. "What's up?"

"Training, get over here." I called. Larisa put her fingers to her forehead and laughed quietly.

"Is it always going to be like this?" She asked. "Such a, casual air? With the whole crew?"

"I hope so." I said. "The Marines are _way_ too stuffy for me."

"That makes me think." She said. "I have heard that all members of Whitebeard's crew, have his Jolly Roger tattooed on their backs…"

"Yeah." I said.

"Did you, get one?" She asked.

"When I turned sixteen." I said. "But we discovered something. My skin just rejects ink."

"What?" She asked.

"The tattoo actually, left my body." I said. "When the guy went to dab it off of my back, it just, came off completely. He tried repeatedly, but it never took. So, I looked at the Jolly Roger and made it appear on my back. When I left, I didn't keep it. He told me to strike out on my own, and only invoke his name when I absolutely have to… Really, that's probably why I just call him Pops all the time."

"Is he, your real father?" She asked.

"No, not biologically." I said. "But he treated me like I was. Nice of him."

"Hey, Luna, we doing this, or what?" Sario called. I laughed.

"Yeah, coming." I said.

"Go ahead." She said. "That's enough of an answer for me. I'll keep an eye on you two though. If you get hurt…"

"Just don't overreact." I said. "If we get hurt, wait until we're done sparring, and then you take care of us. I'm sure the crew won't want you getting in our way. We'll respect you, but best to let us do our thing and you only jump in if it's dangerous." She nodded as I walked toward Sario. "Okay, here's what we'll do. I'll teach you for a few minutes, until someone else comes onboard. You'll be learning about Kenbunshoku." He nodded. "Now, it's actually simple, more than you'd ever believe." I put the book back. "To be fair though, I'm going to actually try to hurt you."

"Luna…" Larisa said.

"Kenbunshoku relies on intent to hurt or kill." I explained. "If I just throw punches normally, sparring, then it'll be so fuzzy he won't be able to detect anything. But it's the intent. It's hard to fool, but, that's if you're trained properly." I threw a punch and Sario just managed to duck it. "Lesson one, focus on your opponent. If you can see them, then you'll have a better chance even untrained." He moved and avoided my fists, narrowly. "Lesson two, let your mind go blank. Don't think about the ship, the sky, the sea, any sound in particular, or anyone around you. Just, let your mind empty, and let it focus on only the battle." He moved a little further away, but it was little improvement. "Lesson three…" I hit him in the chest and spun, kicking him back. He coughed as I moved. "The images are what your opponent is going to try to do. Your objective, is to learn how to see them without the blur." He stood up and I rushed at him, and he jumped back quickly, avoiding my fists as fast as he could.

"H-hey, this is, intense!" He said.

"If I held back, it'd just be me playing." I said. "Now, lesson _four_!" I punched at him and he just avoided it, but the wind behind it made him spin and land on the deck. "You have to interpret the image in the span between attacks. You have to live in the future of the fight. You need to be able to react _instantly_, even when you're injured, tired, or even drunk." He got up slowly. "How clear were the images?"

"N-not very…" He said. "I saw it though… But…"

"Hey, I never said you had to master it today." I said. "It took me two weeks to get the basics of it, and a year and a half to become capable of using it to a decent degree. Take your time, learn in your own way. I give you the basics, and you learn it as you go. Once you've gotten it down well enough, I'll teach you about Busōshoku." He nodded and I threw a hard punch at an awkward angle, and he narrowly avoided it. "Now, the biggest lesson, and most important, is to keep your mind somewhat clear at all times. Always expect danger. One time, this kid attacked Pops at random, and he'd never get close. Pops 'd just knock him away, block him, or flat avoid him like he was a _fly_. Sometimes, he'd even be asleep. But he was always aware."

"What about, _you_?" He asked as I tried to kick him. "Can you, dodge while, asleep?"

"Easily." I said. "I actually trained for it, with sleeping grass." He laughed as I kicked at him repeatedly before moving behind him. Soru was pure speed, and I'd already done some studying regarding it. I had the basics down, but fine control sucked. I had actually overshot him by ten feet. But as he turned, I launched myself at him in a jumping punch, and to my joyful surprise, he avoided the attack _perfectly_. I landed, and he looked at me as I stood on one hand. "Sario, how clear was that image?"

"N-not too clear, but, I saw past the blur and, just went with my instincts." He said. I smiled.

"That's lesson five." I said. "Trust your gut." I jumped and turned, looking at the ramp as a few men walked on with some crates. One was of the crew. Ironically, it was Jenkins. "Jenkins!" He looked over. "When you're done, spar with Sario for a bit. He's learning Kenbunshoku!" He nodded.

"Done." He said. "I know a little about that myself." I held up my fingers in the OK gesture. He walked toward the stairs to the cargo hold and I let Sario punch me in the back of the head, and Larisa put her hands to her mouth.

"Sario!" She said. "Why did you… Do, that?" I pulled the book out and Sario made a hissing sound. I looked at him. "Sario?"

"My hand!" He cried dramatically, dropping to his knees. I laughed.

"Luna?" Larisa asked as she walked over quickly. "What, how did he hurt his hand?" Before I could reply she was checking my head.

"Larisa, it's the Busōshoku Haki." I said. "It makes my skin tougher than quarter inch tempered steel." She looked over Sario's hand for a second before applying some kind of ointment. "That's one I'll teach you. It'll let you stand and take attacks that would kill most people, and you won't even feel it." I held up the book. "And there's this technique, called Tekkai. Combine it, and you'll be so hard to hurt, people will think you're a living statue made out of Adam Wood." She sighed.

"Warn him next time." She said.

"Actually, I knew she was going to do that." He said. "I just, hit her because she kicked me." I turned and leaned down to him, kissing his forehead.

"Better?" I asked. He just blushed. "Better." I stood up and walked over to the mast, putting my back to it and sliding down, leaving one knee up, which I set my arm on as I opened the book. "So, I'll read, you wait for Jenkins."

"And you let me see that book while you're reading it." Larisa said as she walked over. She sat down by me and looked at it as I looked over the Soru page. "Soru… Explosive bursts of speed…"

"I've seen it in action, kind of." I said. "We're talking 'now you see me, now you don't, my foot is kicking your butt, your chest, your throat, and your face all at once, but by the time you feel the kick in the butt you're already out cold on the ground' kind of speed. It was luck that I survived the encounter." She put her finger on the page, but I blocked her. "Hey, still reading here." She was silent until I flipped the page. "Okay, so, can you learn two things at once?"

"Yes." She said. "I had to listen to my professor while I read ahead of the class. Go ahead and say what you wish."

"Okay, Busōshoku is the Haki of the Color of the Armaments." I said. "Using sheer willpower, you make yourself, your clothes, or whatever you're holding strong enough to make people think you or the object is indestructible. Clothing becomes armor, your skin becomes stone, and a thin little twig becomes a lethal stabbing weapon or a bludgeon." She nodded and put her finger at the top, but moved it. "It's actually harder to learn than Kenbunshoku, but it's equally useful. Combined, the two allow you to evade most attacks, but if one gets through, having that level of defense against your attacker would theoretically allow you to weather anything."  
>…<p>

I slowly moved the scalpel across the skin of the pig, lightly, as Jenkins watched. Larisa showed me the proper technique in the medical bay. I was working on the side, intending to get some bacon. It was about time for breakfast, so I figured fresh bacon was called for.

"Wow." He said. "That's, precise…"

"I like thick sliced bacon." I said. "In fact, I'm cooking my own breakfast, no offense. Specific tastes and all that."

"Hey, Luna!" Sario called.

"Just a second." I said. "Makin' bacon here." He was silent and I sputtered a laugh. "Not like that!" He laughed as Jenkins snorted a laugh and went to the pans. "Jeeze, you heard me the other night, for crying out loud." He walked in as I sliced the bacon off and set it on a plate. "Bacon?"

"Uh, sure." He said. "You can cook?"

"It's one thing I didn't learn too much about, but I'm not bad." I said. I began cutting from the other side. "Jenkins, I'm just on my bacon. I'll eat whatever you cook."

"Okay." He said.

"So, Sario, what's up?" I asked.

"Well, I've got news." He said. "It's been a week since we got our ship, and the Marines have pictures of us already. How, I have no idea." I looked at him as he held out a poster. It was me. In a fairly cool looking pose. "Look at the reasons behind your bounty, which I will hide for now." I looked down.

"Impersonating an officer…" I said. "Theft of a Marine vessel, multiple counts of murdering Marines, piracy, coercing defection of a Marine…" I whistled. "And they even have my full name. Cool."

"Luna D. Veluria, wanted at the bounty of, Jenkins, drum roll please." He said. Jenkins began tapping a couple of spoons against a pot. "Forty five million, six hundred and thirty seven thousand Berry." I looked up.

"No way." I said. He moved his hands and I smiled, putting the scalpel down and taking it. "Yes! Pops is gonna be so proud of me!" Sario laughed.

"Yeah, I bet he would be." He said. "Man, over forty million and it's been, a week. You're lucky." I grinned as I looked at the number.

"You're not kidding there." I said. "I've only had a bounty once, and it wasn't all that high. I wonder if that number was added to this…" I shrugged and rolled it up, putting it on the table. "But for now, breakfast. I'm having bacon, and maybe some pork chops."

"Looks good." He said. "Can't get fresher than right off of the pig." I smiled as I grabbed the scalpel and cut out a good sized pork chop. "You're, really using the scalpel for this? They're fr… You know what, with you, it's about as fragile as a piece of granite." I laughed quietly as I cut out some bacon for him. "Thick slice?"

"Is there better bacon?" I asked. He laughed as I spun the scalpel and cut out a few thick slices for him. "There. Perfect."  
>…<p>

I let out a calm breath before running forward at top speed. It was difficult, but I was starting to be able to see as I used Soru. It was, harder than I thought it would be, but I was slowly getting the hang of it. Sario was reading, as was Larisa. I skidded to a halt at the very edge of the ship and heard them exclaim as my arms flailed. I caught myself and let out a breath.

"Luna, be careful!" Larisa said. I stepped back and removed my hat, pushing my hair back. I put my hat back on and turned. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, but, I could see a little better that time." I said. "Give me three more days, and I'll have it down to a science." I thought for a moment before using Soru to stop by them. Sario jumped a little but I just sat down by him.

"Three days, might be a little much." He said.

"It's just figuring the distance and speed." I said. I looked at the page. "Shigan… I'll stick to Soru… Maybe Kami-e though. That one sounded fun." He laughed.

"That's for, me." Larisa said. "I'm willing to fight, if I have to. I, believe that I can save lives, perhaps by hurting those that threaten the crew." I nodded.

"It'll rough, but if you can do it, we'll all be grateful." I said. She smiled a little as Sario looked at her.

"Oh, I'm done." She said. "I've been done with this page for about three minutes." He shook his head with a laugh before turning the page. "Looks like that was it… I'll, need a way to practice the technique."

"Pig bodies won't do, since I'm eating most of them." I said. She nodded. "How about, wood targets? We bought a few dozen of those for shooting practice. Give you six or seven to practice on?"

"That should work…" Sario said. "And this page is, Geppo?" I looked at it and took it from him. "Hey."

"Sweet." I said. "Jumping off of air?" He looked over. "I can use this. Add in some Soru for purchase, and I can cover some serious distance… Oh, I can use this to board ships from a long way off!" They laughed as I read.

"Maybe you should focus on Soru first." Larisa said. "If you try to use both now, you'll fly right over the edge, into the sea, and Sario will have to save you." I laughed quietly as I read quickly.

"So, when do I get this back so I can learn Rankyaku?" He asked. I turned the page and held it out to him.

"Done." I said. He blinked as he took it. "I'll keep up on Soru for now. Geppo in a few days after I can safely use Soru." I got up as a crate was pulled onboard. "Is that the last one?"

"Yeah, we're set!" Clarence said. "We can go whenever you're ready!" I nodded and smiled, and looked up at the wheel.

"We're off then." I said. They walked on as the boarding ramp was pulled back on. Sario and Larisa got up. "Sario, cast off all ties. The dock master knows we're leaving. Larisa, have someone run up our Jolly Roger."

"Aye-aye." They said. I walked toward the wheel before jumping. As I landed, I saw Sten at the ready.

"Ma'am." He said. I walked over and pulled an Eternal Pose out of my pocket, setting it in the specialized binnacle. "Where will this take us?"

"A little island where I left something special." I said. "It's about two weeks out, give or take." He looked at the Pose as it pointed in the direction.

"Velra?" He asked. "Sort of…"

"Like my last name, without the u or i…" I said. "Definitely without 'I'." He laughed quietly as I looked up. Sario held up his thumb. I then looked at our Jolly Roger. It was the classic skull and crossbones, with my style of hair, silver, a golden halo, and a pair of angel wings against a good number of stars. "Looks good to me."

"You're clear!" A dock worker called.

"Alright boys, let's take her out!" I called. "You know the drill!" The sails were lowered as Sten turned the wheel. As the ship turned, the wind began blowing right where I wanted it. There were cheers as we quickly began moving from the port. I smiled and crossed my arms as Larisa walked up the steps.

"Where are we going first?" She asked.

"Velra." I said. "A quiet little island a few weeks out. It's been a long time since I was there, but I left something there for this day. Something very important to me. When we get in sight, take down the Jolly Roger. I don't want them to be wary of us. It's a town where Marines have a good base. I'd rather avoid too much trouble right now. I'll go to an older look I saved for just this situation."

"Are there good medical supplies on Velra?" She asked.

"At the Marine base." I said. "That's where nearly everyone gets treated. The main problem with that is that they charge a lot of money for even simple checkups, so the small clinics usually are a lot cheaper, but they don't have access to more than the basics, if they're lucky. The Marines make regular trips to the clinic to make sure nothing too expensive is in the clinic, since it might be something _they_ would have ordered."

"They steal supplies?" She asked.

"Corruption in the Marines runs deep." I said. "Not all Marines are bad, I know that, but in general, more corrupt the further up the chain."

"That's true." Sten said. "I've never met a lot of Marines that kept their youthful enthusiasm that we were fighting for justice. Maybe we started that way, but eventually, justice was warped, as we were told that Pirates stood for everything we stood against, and more. That's why I left."

"Me too." Clarence said from nearby. I looked over. "I, just had a thought, so, I was going to, come up here… Uh, you said, Velra, right?" I nodded. "I used to live there, as a kid. I was wondering, if I could check on my family?"

"Sure." I said. "I had family there, too. I'll check on them while I'm there. I'd be a total bitch if I said no to you." He laughed. "So, Sten, remember to get someone to handle the night shift." I pointed. "There. Get us over about sixty yards."

"Aye-aye." He said. "Might I ask why though?"

"There's a good current there." I said. "It'll give us a little more speed. See it?" He stared before nodding.

"Yeah, I do." He said. "How did you spot it so fast?"

"Old pirate trick." I said. "Funny story, some Cursed Pirates, though unable to ever swim, are a little more in tune with the sea. I can just feel currents around a ship, so I know where it is that we need to be to catch a little extra speed. It's a good trick to know, but it takes other people years to learn and use properly."


	18. Homecoming is Bittersweet

**It's been a while, but hopefully you all still remember the great captain Veluria and her shapeshifting, rum drinking, ship stealing, bar maid annoying, first mate teasing, doctor finding, and bounty acquiring antics. Oh, and Sario and Larisa and their personal wishes to be a master of all melee weapons and being a ship's doctor and… Hmm. What was her wish? Well, perhaps we'll find out. If not, sooner or later, we will.**

**Also, would anyone like to come up with a few brand names for Luna's various types of rum? I'm no good with those types of names. People, I can wing it. Brands, islands, and weapons, not so much. I like having readers participate in the story, because I like stirring people's imaginations, and make people think. There's not enough thinking going on these days, so why not start here, for people to practice? Maybe you'll be able to stump me, or give me great ideas, or write your own great stories that I'll be happy to read.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to One Piece. If they would like to use the Henkan-Henkan no Mi, or any of my ideas, I would be beyond flattered, and I would be honored to help if they ever needed me for, anything.  
>…<strong>

I stood at the helm, my eyes partly closed as I kept on the current. Three days away from getting to Velra, it was keeping me in a calm mood instead of my usual manic joy. So far, I'd learned a little more about Soru, but I wanted open space to train for at least a few hours. Sario was getting better with his Haki, and was actually doing pretty good at predicting even my attacks. I'd just suddenly take a swing at him when he wasn't looking, and he'd laugh if he dodged it. If he didn't, he'd still laugh saying 'I should have seen that coming'. Even Larisa was starting to take to the lessons, having paid attention during our training.

To my surprise, the whole crew was training on a regular basis as well. They had actually put down some rope to cordon off a place where they could spar, and I decided that they could settle disputes there as well.

"Captain." Sten said.

"Yo." I said casually.

"Couldn't sleep?" He asked.

"I woke up early and saw a beautiful current." I said. "One that tells me where we are. We're very close."

"Yeah?" He asked. "How long?"

"Three days, two if we follow this current…" I said. "Take a look, there." I pointed at the current and he walked over. "Can you see it?"

"Not, really…" He said slowly.

"Don't look for only the current." I said. "Look around it." I gestured a little to the sides. "She doesn't like when you don't pay attention."

"She?" He asked. "The, ship?"

"The sea." I said, laughing quietly. "Treat her and all the life she gives with respect and you'll find smooth sailing isn't just an expression." I sighed. "Treat her wrong, and she'll turn on you as sure as I wear a black suit." He nodded as I leaned forward onto the wheel before locking it. "About, sixty yards out in front of the ship, dead center. Look around it just a little, about two, three meters to either side." He stared as I stepped around and crossed my arms, smiling. "See it?"

"I see, something." He said. "There's something different there, but, I can't really…"

"Explain it." I finished. "I know. Just, trust the sea. When you see something that looks different, but you just can't explain it, that's where you should try to get the ship. It's easier to see during the day, but trust me, we're right on top of it. That's our mistress, the sea, telling us where to go." He laughed.

"I remember, in the Marines, they trained us to find currents." He said. "But we were lucky if we could keep up with another ship with a good wind. Here we are, on a ship made by the Marines, and we're going faster than any other Marine ship I've ever seen, with only minimal wind."

"Stick around, and you'll see a lot more than that." I said. "I've got a lot of the best pirate tricks you've never seen, and I know how to use them just right."

"I'll watch out…" He said. "What's that?" I looked at him as he looked behind us, and I looked as well. I pulled a spyglass out of my jacket and unfolded it, looking through it at what he was pointing at. "Marines?"

"No, other pirates…" I said. "Just, a Jolly Roger… Must be new guys, or a bunch of jokers. There aren't many islands or island chains near here. Odds are, they're either out of Velra or they came from somewhere else." I turned the end a little before collapsing it and handing it to Sten. "Keep an eye on them. Check every ten minutes. If they keep following us, I want to get off of this current and let them catch up, but keep it so they're aligned with the broadside guns."

"Aye-aye." He said. I jumped over the railing and landed with a quiet thump, and I heard a sigh.

"A little early for this." Sario said tiredly.

"Pirates at our back." I said. He yawned.

"Friendly?" He asked.

"Some are, some aren't." I said. "These are unknown. No customized Jolly Roger, nothing I've seen, but they've got a ship about our size. If they decide they want to fight us, they're in for a fight they'll never have dreamed possible. And it's good to see how you've learned." He laughed as I walked past him. "Go ahead and wake up. If they're new, then we've got a while before they catch up." I walked toward my room and opened the door, quickly going to a small workbench I'd had put in. It had some basic stuff I'd need to maintain my weapons, and I quickly grabbed a rifle and loaded it, followed by three pistols. "Okay, if they attack, I'll take the captain first… Probably let 'em live. For Sario's sake. He'd probably prefer I do that much." I walked out of my room and saw Larisa, and she stared at me and I stopped. "Morning."

"Uh, good, morning." She said. "A rifle?"

"And three pistols." I said. "Pirates behind us, and they might not be friendly toward us." She swallowed quietly. "Don't worry, we've got this. I predict, zero casualties on our side."

"Will we take prisoners?" She asked. I thought for a moment.

"Depends." I said. "I might take defectors, if they seem good enough. If the chef is good, heck yeah." I rubbed my stomach. "I keep overcooking my meals." She looked back for a second. "What's up?"

"I, want to fight, if there is a fight…" She said. "I won't stay back. I will, protect, my fellow crewmembers." I smiled and thought for a moment.

"Even if there isn't a fight, I've got an idea." I said. "Follow me."  
>…<p>

I sighed as I looked out at the other ship, now turned toward Tougarest. To say I was disappointed would be entirely fair. But the upside was that there was no danger to us, and Larisa didn't have to deal with my crash course of kickboxing. Her hands couldn't be damaged, so she'd fight with her feet to make sure she wouldn't hurt herself.

A whole day went by peacefully, but while I enjoyed that, I was starting to get bored. The anticipation of a battle put me in a scrapping mood, and without that coming through, I got bored and ended up putting my guns away after rendering them safe to be around. My boredom led to me sparring with Sario, and when he'd had enough I sparred with Sten for a few minutes. He was pretty good, but I just didn't feel challenged, so I could hardly enjoy it as much as I should have. I did, but, just not as much as I wanted to.

"Luna?" Larisa asked. I looked over my shoulder and nodded, and she walked over, putting her arms on the rail, leaning forward like me. "You seem, different."

"Bored, mostly." I said, looking out at the sea. "I was looking forward to a fight, but I would have been okay just meeting a new captain. I was kind of, you know, jazzed… Now I'm a little bored." She laughed quietly.

"You're like a child sometimes." She said. I smiled a little.

"Not a bad thing." I said. "It just means I can let that spread to the crew, and get everyone psyched up for stuff." She laughed a little more as I sighed. "Man, it's been, a long time since I've been to Velra. It feels like forever."

"Who are you going to see?" She asked. "Old boyfriend?"

"No, nothing like that." I said. "I wouldn't make a commitment like that. It wouldn't be fair to whoever it was, you know?" I looked at her. "I'm out here all the time, they'd be back there, it's tough to send a letter." I looked at the waves as she nodded. "Yeah, I just… I figure I'll just get the supplies, and we'll head out after a few weeks. No one's to say we're pirates, they Jolly Roger stays in my cabin, and when we're done, we'll be gone like a wind."

"But you are going to see someone." She said. Definitely a statement, rather than a question.

"Yeah." I said after a few seconds. "Don't tell the others, but, this is my home."

"Not just a coincidence for your name?" She asked.

"My dad had his name changed." I said. "Mom took his name, I have the name… They were good people. Velra is, a pretty neutral island. Calm weather all year, good fishing, plenty of good farmland, and you can always count on a beautiful sight from some cherry trees on the northern side, and a southern wind just, comes through at the right time every single year… Around now. Probably in a few days. We might stay for that…" I laughed and looked at her as she smiled. "You _cannot_ visit Velra this time of year and ignore a chance that we can catch that sight." I smiled and looked at the direction of the island. "It'd be cruel to find out we were a day late."

"Is your family going to take you in for a few days?" She asked. I sighed and looked down, my hair turning light blue. "Luna?"

"They, can't." I said. "Even, if I wanted to, they can't, do anything for me, f-for us."

"Luna, are you alright?" She asked. "Your hair is blue, and you, look even paler than you normally do."

"Bad memories." I said. "Don't worry about it. It, happens, sometimes. I'll be fine when it passes."

"Luna, health isn't just being physically well." She said. "Healthy body, healthy mind. That, by the way, is my medical opinion." I gave a quiet laugh as my hair turned silver at the tips, and slowly began returning to normal.

"I, will tell you, when we get there." I said. "I have to show you a few things to, really let you understand it. It's a story." I looked at her.

"Okay." She said quietly. I looked out at the sea. We were silent for a moment. "So, uh, the stars are, beautiful tonight." I looked up and nodded.

"Yeah." I said. "I never get tired of seeing them. So many think that, they don't have the time, that it's something that isn't as beautiful as it is, or, they just take it for granted. Me…" I made my hair turn dark blue again, but with some silver staying, acting as stars, and Larisa laughed quietly when she looked at me. "All I have to do is look up on a cloudless night, and I can see that, it's still there. Beauty is just, there, right above us, where we can see it."

"The world is full of beauty." She said. I nodded again and turned around, leaning back, and she sighed. "If you weren't you, I'd tell you not to do that. But then, you can fix your back in an instant, can't you?"

"Yup." I said.

"If Sario did that, I'd imagine it would snap his back immediately." She said. "I mean, you're _hanging_ backward over the edge, with your spine bent, at a literally impossible direction. It would paralyze a normal human."

"Henkan-Henkan no Mi, my curse, my power." I said. "And a source of _so_ _much_ entertainment." She laughed as I stared at the sky. "Larisa, would you ever eat a Cursed Fruit if we found one and I offered it to you?"

"I, don't know." She said. "It would have to be one that, I knew what it would do to me. If it made me a more capable doctor, able to have more limbs or, able to do something that would make me able to do more… But again, I'd have to know what it was."

"I can understand that." I said. "The Henkan-Henkan would do that." She laughed. "Hey, grow extra arms, some extra eyes, and you won't need as many nurses and assistants." She nodded as she smiled. "Well, when you're working, count on me to help, with or without a few extra hands."  
>…<p>

"Luna, are you up?" Sario called. He knocked on the door and I moved to the foot of the bed under my blanket as it opened, and I poked my head out after making my face look somewhat, freaky. Bags under my eyes, the eyes themselves being very bloodshot. As I looked up I opened my mouth and groaned.

"Yeah?" I asked. He stared before laughing.

"I told you drinking so much would come back to haunt you." He said. I smiled and shook my head, changing back to normal before looking at him.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Well, that current you put us on got us going good, but we caught some great wind." He said. "Last night, apparently the wind got strong enough to get us a lot closer. We've lowered the Jolly Roger, and will come to dock in about twenty minutes." I smiled and reached down to the trunk in front of me and grabbed my shirt and pants. "You, slept, naked?"

"Yup." I said. "Why do you think I'm under here?" I ducked back under and slipped into my pants as he laughed quietly.

"You know, you're definitely the, most unique person I've ever known." He said.

"You should meet Pops and his crew." I said. "Most of them are, kind of like me. Just full of life, energetic, and half insane. And that's when they're just waking up." I pulled my sleeves on and did the top buttons as I rolled out from the bed and finished. "How's the crew?"

"Awake and ready to take a look around." He said. "It looks beautiful. Even the docks." I nodded as I sat on the edge and pulled my socks on. "So, why are we here, seriously?"

"I've got somewhere to visit, and we need some medical supplies for Larisa." I said. "There's some good stuff here… And I buried some special equipment here about, seven years and, I think six months ago… Give or take a few weeks." I stepped into my shoes and grabbed my jacket and put it on before standing and grabbing my hat. "You'll like it, I hope. But that's for another day. I am going to be the first one off."

"Larisa, said something about cherry trees?" He asked. I nodded.

"Yeah, should be blossoming soon." I said. "And there's going to be a stronger wind going south that will take all of the loose ones and spread them all over the island. It's one of the most beautiful sights you'll get around here, bar none in my opinion." He laughed as I put Yami on my waist, but not Kurobuchi.

"Not taking both?" He asked.

"I'm better with one blade." I said. "Kuro stays behind unless I need him." He nodded and I gestured to the door. "I'll catch up. Just need a little money." He laughed and turned.

"I'll see you on deck." He said. As he walked out, I walked over and closed the door, locking it, and I went over to my personal chest and opened it. I pulled out a wallet, filled it with plenty of money, and put it in my jacket, and I slowly opened the compartment. I slowly took Kuma-chan out and looked at her before hugging her to my chest, smiling.

"We're home." I said quietly. "It's been a long time, but, we're home again Kuma-chan." I kissed the top of the stuffed bear's head and sighed. "I wish I could take you with me, but, the others wouldn't understand. I'll bring back some flowers for your little bed. I promise." I was silent for a few moments, just holding my teddy bear before I slowly put her back in. "I'll be back soon. Don't burn the ship down." I closed the compartment and covered it before shutting the lid, locking the chest this time. As I stood up, I adopted my usual smile and turned, going to the door and unlocking it before stepping out, heading toward the deck. 'Home, sweet home.' As I made my way to the deck, I made a decision on the appearance I would take. They knew my usual look here. As I walked up to Sario I changed my hair to a light chocolate brown, lighter than my real hair color, and I made my eyes the same, and I changed my face a little, along with my body. Slightly wider hips, a little bigger bust, and when I was done I had a perfect hourglass figure. I heard a whistle and looked to see Sario.

"When did you join our crew?" He asked. I laughed quietly in a softer voice.

"Luna, is that you?" Larisa asked. I looked over at her as she walked past a few of the crew. "Goodness, you take your disguises seriously."

"Yeah, but, they know my normal look here." I said. "They don't know the suit though. I wore a different outfit the last time I was here." I looked at the dock as we pulled in, the anchor lowering as the sails were raised again. "If it's no trouble to you both, just call me Rose while we're here. Can't let the Marines know, or they'll be trouble." They nodded as the boarding ramp was lowered to the dock. I saw the dock master as I started walking, and he was obviously staring at my newly ample chest. I pulled out my wallet as he cleared his throat.

"It's, three hundred per day." He said. I pulled out twenty one hundred and handed them to him.

"We'll be here for about a week, but if we get delayed longer, I'll find you." I said quietly. He nodded and gestured.

"Welcome to Velra, Miss…" He started.

"Rose." I said softly.  
>…<p>

I walked into the small clearing as I rolled the shovel over my shoulder, while Sario and Larisa followed. They weren't aware that I knew they were following me, or at least they probably didn't. I had a few shovels in a bag. Night fell earlier than I wanted it to, and I found out that the cherry blossoms would be caught by the wind the following day. That was a treat. I'd get the medical supplies for Larisa the day before we would leave, but until then, it was just gathering some things I wanted, in case I never got a chance to come back for whatever reason. As I stopped I set the other shovels down and sank mine into the dirt, but turned.

"Come on, I don't want to have to do this alone." I said. They walked out from behind a couple of trees. "Kenbunshoku is for more than just detecting attacks. You're more aware of your surroundings when you're trained well enough." They walked over and I gestured to the spot I'd sank the shovel. "No one ever comes around here. They all think there's some kind of curse. Turns out someone fell into some quicksand a little further in and everyone was too scared to do anything about it." I looked at them. "I came her some years ago, and hid something Pops told me I was always welcome to. I think now is the best time to get it." They nodded and walked over, grabbing a shovel as I pushed mine further in and took the dirt out.

"What is it?" Sario asked.

"Something useful." I said. "Blueprints."

"To, what?" Larisa asked.

"A ship." I said. "One that Pops himself was proud of. Said it was a gift if I ever needed a seaworthy home." They started helping me. "There are other things though, a little money to put toward it, and I think a really nice flask, unused." They laughed as we started digging. "I'll work on a name for it later. But, this will be our flagship someday, if we ever have a big enough crew… Like Pops, I hope to have, a veritable armada, so we can be sure that we can do what I set out to do, and maybe, set sail to find One Piece…"

"Planning on becoming the Pirate Queen?" Sario asked.

"If not me, I'll gladly bow to the one who is." I said. "Pops respected Gold Roger, and anyone that he respects, I respect. Whoever takes up the mantle of Pirate King, if not me, they'll have my respect for braving the whole of the Grand Line."


	19. Catching the Sights

**It's been a little while since we last saw our intrepid Captain Veluria and her crew. So let's see how they're doing. I don't really have much else to say, so, moving on.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to One Piece. Thank you, and enjoy.  
>…<strong>

I bit into the rice ball and smiled as I ate it. The others were procuring supplies and taking care of things, while some were looking through the shops for things we could use later. I was waiting for Larisa and Sario. We were planning on getting some supplies, and I'd need to deal with the Marines to get medical supplies. Sario didn't want me to just go in and steal it all, right away. I convinced him that was for the best, but he wanted to get more information before I went in. My main idea was just locate the medical supply room, then take everything Larisa would put on a list. But now they wanted to 'try something different'. Whatever it was, it was fine by me.

'I hope they've got a good plan.' I thought. 'I can't just stay here all day.' I took a sip of my rum before I took another bite of the rice ball. I was mostly just sitting on a rail, watching the sea.

"Ma'am, a moment of your time?" A man asked. I looked to see a Marine Corporal. "Do you know the owner of that ship over there, the Silver Wing?" I swallowed the rice ball and washed it down with some rum.

"That'd be me." I said. "Why?"

"Do you have proper registration?" He asked.

"Not yet." I said. "We salvaged it and had it repaired. I'm new to the whole 'owning a ship' thing." He walked over.

"Come by our base later." He said. "Our commander wants to make sure everything is done by the book." I smiled genuinely.

"I'll be by later." I said. "Count on it." He nodded and walked away. I thought about his face for a moment. "What's your name?" He looked over his shoulder.

"Myles Aaronson." He said. He continued walking, but blushed when I winked at him. He was an ensign.

'Myles Aaronson.' I repeated thoughtfully. 'I'll remember that name, and that face.' I finished my rice ball and swallowed it before finishing my rum. 'I'll need a refill…' I heard someone walking nearby with bare feet, and someone in sandals… Straw sandals. "Sario, Larisa."

"How did you know it was us?" Larisa asked. I tapped my ear.

"Pops and our family taught me a lot." I said. "Eight years is a long time to learn."

"Yes, it is." Larisa said. Sario laughed.

"So, we've come up with a plan." He said. "We just need someone to act the part of a new Marine doctor trying to get supplies that need to go to another island." I looked at them. "Larisa _is_ a doctor, so all she needs is to learn how to act like a Marine."

"Sounds good." I said.

"But we'll need someone to give a distraction, a convincing one." Larisa said. "A reason to draw the doctors away, preferably some big emergency while I raid their excess supplies… And a little extra." I nodded.

"Marine doctors, I know a little bit about." I said. "They act pretty much normal… Just need the right outfit, a little makeup, and maybe a wig." She blushed a little.

"W-well, maybe not a _wig_." She said. "Maybe, hair dye?" I put my finger to my chin.

"Streaks maybe…" I said softly. They laughed.

"You and your disguises." Sario said. "Why can't it ever be simple?" I smirked.

"If it were simple, it wouldn't be as much fun, you know?" I said. "Come on, before we do this, I hear that the wind is coming in. They've got a system set up with a bunch of fans far to the north connected to ropes and bells. When the strong wind comes, it rings the bells in a specific order. They rang six hours ago, so in about twenty minutes, cherry blossoms will _cover_ the city." They laughed as I jumped down. "Come on, there's a spot I used to go to when I was a little girl. No one should know about it, except maybe a few children." I started walking and they followed as I cleaned my fingers with a handkerchief.

"Rose, about last night, the, thing we did." Sario said. I looked over my shoulder at him, winking, and making them both blush. "Y-you know what I mean." I laughed quietly but nodded. "Where did you put the blueprints?"

"In my travel chest." I said.

"Secure?" He asked.

"I've got a few chests with hidden compartments." I said.

"For special treasures?" Larisa asked. I smiled.

"You could say that." I said. I started walking a little faster. "We should hurry. I don't want to miss this. I missed it the last time I was here." I held out my arms and ran ahead, giggling softly.  
>…<p>

I settled onto the hill as Sario and Larisa stared at the sight. For all one could describe, it was impossible to truly say just how beautiful the swirls of flowers were. The unique way the trees grew made the wind form small loops and swirls in the air, some actually looping into one another to nearly form a chain. When the cherry blossoms followed those currents, it was a sight so beautiful that words can't truly do it justice.

"Wow, this is, amazing." Larisa said. "I, I know you said it would be beautiful, but…"

"I know." I said quietly. "I can never put it into words just how nice it is to see." Sario sat down and watched above us while some of the petals fell from the breeze.

"It, seems impossible, but…" He said. "It's right there. It's, beautiful." I nodded and leaned back on a towel I'd set down earlier. Larisa sat down as well as we watched the swirls and patterns.

"I've been to quite a few islands in all four Blues, and the Grand Line." I said. "I've even been to Fishman Island more than once." They looked at me. "Not one island has apart from Velra has a sight like this." They smiled and looked up.

"You've been around." Sario said.

"Yeah, to quite a few nice places." I said. "Rarely will I find a place that feels close to how Velra feels to me."

"Hey, what's that?" Sario asked. I leaned up and looked as he pointed, and I pulled out my spyglass. I looked through it for a moment and tilted my head.

"Pirate ship." I said. "The flag, is…" I laughed. "Oh, this is going to be good. It's the Yo-Ho pirates."

"The, Yo-Ho pirates?" They asked together.

"New guys, don't know much about the world outside of their island in North Blue." I said. "They picked a fight with me once. Five on one, I took four of them before the fifth started running. He caught his head against a low hanging lantern." I put the spyglass away. "They _really_ have a grudge against the Marines. My guess, they're here to cause trouble with the boys here." I leaned back. "Larisa, this is the opportunity we need." She looked at me. "While they're away, you, a visiting Marine surgeon, plan to prepare for casualties, and stow away supplies." She seemed worried. "When they get back, help with the wounded so they don't get suspicious, and when you leave, I'll have picked up the supplies." Sario smiled a little.

"I like that idea." He said. "No needless deaths. Honestly, would the, Yo-Ho's, cause damage to the city?"

"No doubt in my mind." I said. "They view anyone that allows a Marine base on their island as allies to their enemies. I'll take a few cannons and fire on their ship while they're getting close. I'm sure the Marines will, reward us for that." They laughed and I put my hands behind my head, looking up at a particular swirl pattern of three separate 'lines' of petals. I sighed softly. "It's good to be home."  
>…<p>

"Fire!" A Marine called. I heard rifles firing from behind me, but luckily I wasn't hit. They were a 'guard' because I was helping, and the commander of the base had given me the registration papers for my 'help'.

'Too close.' I thought. I looked down the barrel of my first cannon, loaded with chain shot. I couldn't help but smile. 'Here we go!' I lit the fuse. "Fire in the hole!" I covered my ears and moved back just as it fired, and the chain shot hit the main mast, cracking it immediately, though it didn't go down. I ducked down and avoided more bullets before aiming the second cannon, also loaded with chain. A young Marine loaded the other one. I had three ready, and none of the crew. They were hiding with rifles and pistols in case some of the Yo-Ho pirates made it.

"What kind of name is Yo-Ho anyway?" One Marine asked. They laughed.

"Old pirate laugh joke or something." One replied. I actually laughed.

"I think they're a bunch of idiots." I called. They laughed. "Firing!" I lit the fuse and got back, covering my ears as it fired, and this time the chain hit the mast at nearly the exact same spot, but it hit with enough force to take it down. "Nailed it!" The mast cracked away and fell to the back, hitting the wheelhouse. I heard yells and grinned widely. 'Sorry boys, but this is to protect my home.'

"Fire!" The Marine yelled. I ducked and avoided their bullets as I moved to the third cannon. I looked to see the young Marine loading chain shot, so I snapped my fingers.

"Just load the heavy chains." I said. "The main mast is ruined, and it took down the wheelhouse. At this point, we're going for numbers." He nodded and unloaded the chain shot and began loading chain. "Let's see if I can hit one in the throat."

"You're not some undercover Cipher Pol agent, are you?" Their commander asked. I looked at him.

"Cipher Pol?" I asked.

"Yeah, w-well, we're not supposed to know, and if you are, I doubt you can talk about it." He said. "Scuttlebutt says they're this, group of spies with, total clearance, real hush-hush…"

"Like you said, if I were, and I'm not saying I am, I _probably_ couldn't talk about it." I said. I looked down the barrel.

"It's just, spies and hush-hush stuff…" He said. "They'd probably be as good as you, and they'd probably act like you, all cryptic and mysterious… Knowing just what to say to the right person to get their job done." I fought the urge to grin from ear to ear, because he was giving me an idea that would basically be the perfect disguise. I'd be able to go anywhere just by saying I was from Cipher Pol. Just a fake name, no special outfits or disguises, just waltz in and do whatever I wanted to do, and the others could do it too. "You're definitely skilled enough."

"Well, maybe I'll try to find them and join up." I said. "Fire!" I fired the chain shot and watched it sail through the air, right into a pirate's torso, and it threw him back. Odds were I just broke every rib, his back, and quite possibly his neck. "These guys are pathetic…" I stood up and turned. "It might be a diversion."

"What?" He asked.

"Come on, you think these guys would be the main force?" I asked. "I've read the Beri novels, the comics… This has to be a diversion or something. There's no way they're the leaders!" I looked toward the abandoned northwestern stretch of the island. "The northwest is completely barren and empty, the perfect spot to dig in and fall back to. They're probably smart enough to know that it's empty."

"Men, head to the center of town." He said quickly. "We're going to see if there's a chance she's right. If this isn't the main force, then we might just _earn_ our pay for once."

"Aye, sir!" They called.

"Miss Rose, can we count on you taking this ship down with the help of a cruiser?" He asked.

"Hey, if they manage to push you guys back, I'm a pretty young girl." I said. "What's to stop them from deciding they need a… Pleasure wench or something?!" He laughed.

"After this, I think you're due some serious compensation, especially if you're right." He said. I smiled.

"I like that word." I said. "Compensation… It's fun to say." He laughed as he turned.

"We'll see you at your ship when you're ready to leave." He said. "Men, let's go!" They ran as the young Marine saluted me as I turned.

"Ma'am." He said. "All due respect, I, I don't think these guys… Deserve _all_ of this."

"Sympathy for pirates?" I asked sweetly.

"W-well, I've seen, good pirates." He said. "Friendly ones, just, like you and me." I knelt by the cannon.

"Well, these boys aren't good." I said. "They came here to attack." I gestured to the base and he looked. "They fired the first volley, and they hit the town. Tells me they don't care who they kill for their treasure or revenge. Says to me, they're just trying to take down the Marines. Pirates without a real goal, only seeking to take treasure and harm the innocent, they're scum." I angled the cannon as he loaded the third cannon. "There's a new crew, interesting one, called the Star Angels. Led by this young captain called… Luna Veluria, if memory serves."

"Y-yeah, killed a bunch of Marines, took in defectors, stole a ship." He said. "D-didn't seem evil in her picture though… Looked like, she was looking for something." I tapped the barrel and we covered our ears as I lit the fuse. After it fired, I looked over to see holes being punched through, and small explosions. "They hit the powder stores… They're goners."

"How do you know that that Luna girl is looking for something?" I asked. He looked over and cleared his throat.

"I just…" He started. "I'm looking, for a better life. I'm, hardly a new Marine. I'm nineteen, but I've been with them for six years. I know enough that they're just bullies. Pirates… They have… Freedom. People want that, because, the taxes are just, wrong. I'm, quitting, today. They're letting me out, because of, uh, stress…"

"Well, the life of a pirate is probably stressful." I said. I stood up and watched the ship sink. "I wonder if I could ask for their treasure." He looked at me as I smiled a little. "Quite a bounty."

"Y-yeah, there're bounties on those pirates." He said. "But, uh, y-you won't, say anything about… What I just, said, will you?"

"Hardly." I said. "Tomorrow, my crew and I are, how to put it… Going on _account_." He stared before looking around.

"Y-you're…" He started.

"Just a girl with a ship, going on account." I said. "Fame, fortune, and all the trouble I can handle." I put my hand to my sword. "I'm always looking for new crewmen. Ex-Marines, even if they're only at the rank of Seaman First Class, it'd make any captain feel more at ease, should they somehow find themselves on the wrong side of the law." I looked at him and winked. "If you want to join up, just be by my ship tomorrow before we leave. So long as you prove useful and trustworthy, I'm sure we'll get along just fine." He smiled a little and nodded. "For now, all I can think to say, is that Luna and I have, how to put it… Identical taste in clothing… Or so the picture led me to believe." He seemed to get it as I put my hands behind my head. "Anyway, it's a beautiful fire… I really do wonder if they'd let my crew go on a treasure salvage detail. I have to pay for cannonballs." He laughed quietly and looked down. "I can't swim, personally. Used to love it. Now I just can't. Shame really."  
>…<p>

"So, here's the haul from the ship…" The commander said. "The bounty of each pirate onboard was made out to you, personally, so that's been added." I could almost _hear_ Sario salivating. There were a lot of weapons onboard the Yo-Ho ship, the 'Jolly Roger'. A more unoriginal crew there never would be in all of history. "Compensation for helping the Marines, also added." I felt like I was dreaming. The Yo-Ho pirates had amassed eighty men in all, including the captain, and each man had a minimum bounty of a million Berri. The compensation added another ten million, and the salvaged treasure was appraised at one hundred and ten thousand, and though they wouldn't let me take the treasure directly, they gave us the equivalent amount in Beri coins. "The taxes were waived because you were right about the ambush to the northwestern part of the island, which we quickly squashed. This information gives you another five million Berri, plus another twenty five million worth of bounties being attributed to you since your prescience was correct." I smiled widely. "And the weapons are being given because, they were the only things not stolen, and should go to a good crew. I understand Seaman First Class Pell is joining your crew." I nodded. "Tell him I wish him the best."

"I will, sir." I said. He stepped forward slightly.

"If you, eh, hear from Cipher Pol, could you put in a good word for me?" He asked quietly.

"If I do, I will, Commander Yul." I said, also quietly. He nodded and stepped back.

"Will you need a hand loading your new, equipment?" He asked. I knelt and picked up a heavy chest in each arm, standing up.

"I think we'll manage." I said. They all saluted, and I nodded as they turned to walk away. The others began picking things up. "Okay, this goes in the hold. After a thorough inspection." The crew nodded as Sario picked up the crate of weapons, grinning almost as wide as I often did. As we walked onboard, I saw Pell looking nervous. "Commander Yul wishes you the best." He laughed.

"If he only knew." He said quietly.

"Buck up." I said. "This is great. With that luck on our side, if only temporarily, we're bound to have good things happen."

"I just hope I fit in, soon." He said. I knelt and set the chests down as Sario put the crate down and picked a weapon out, a pole blade. "Oh, that's, a big blade." I looked over and laughed.

"Hey, that looks like Pops' weapon almost." I said. Sario looked over.

"What weapon?" He asked.

"His Bisento." I said. "You can't tell me you've never heard of it. It's a blade with a hell of a story all its own." I opened a chest and sighed. "Man, you can't beat the smell of gold coins."

"Or paper money." Sten said. I laughed. "It actually has a smell." I laughed louder as Sario joined in, and Pell seemed confused.

"Come on, help Sario look through his new weapon collection." I said. "Pick a blade if you find one, but bring it to me. I know a thing or twenty about them." He slowly walked over as I pulled out a handful of coins. Big numbers, too. Five hundred Beri being the smallest number on them. "Oh yeah, we're buying a galleon and turning it into a warship." Sario laughed as Larisa walked over, though she likely didn't know I knew.

"Captain, about the, supplies I acquired." She said. I looked at her. "They're, adequate. I'm amazed you got them out without being seen."

"Oh, that was the easy part." I said. "The hard part was not laughing when a guy offered to carry some of it for me." She blushed. "And a Marine at that." She laughed quietly. "I tell ya, it just feels like it was fate that we got here when we did, and that everything would go so smooth." I shook my head with a sigh. "The gods of the sea are watching our backs this time."

"Well, don't count your chickens before they're hatched." She said. "We're still here. If they find even one of our pictures… They saw Sario, and no doubt they've reissued his old bounty." I shrugged. "Luna, I'm serious." I looked at her. "They've seen me, they've seen Sario, they've seen a few others, including Sten, and we all have live bounties. We have to be more careful." I nodded.

"Okay." I said, completely serious. "From now on, we'll work on general disguises, civilian clothing, and ways of hiding the faces of the crew better." She seemed surprised.

"Who are you?" She asked. I laughed. "You seem like my captain, but she's not that serious about _anything_."

"Hey, come on, give me a little more credit than that." I said. "Think about who my old captain is for a minute. Now I know he pretty much raised me, but this whole thing, being what we are, is a serious business. I know I'm a little childish… Er, _very_ childish most of the time, but when things get serious, I promise, I'm right there in the moment, serious as a Sea King attack." She sighed quietly. I looked back at the treasure. "But then again, disguises are in the future, treasure is in the now." She laughed. "So, the supplies were good?"

"Hmm?" She asked. "Oh, yes, excellent quality. I picked the best I could find."


	20. Training and Planning

**Alright, a little late in the day, and it's a talkie. So, settle in, learn a little, I'm changing it up a little. The next couple of chapters have some action, so hopefully you'll like them better. Apart from that, enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to One Piece. Thank you.  
>…<strong>

I stretched as I looked out to the sea. Our next destination was a ways off, a place where there was a man that knew what the Marines knew. He could get the absolute most up to date maps, the recent information regarding Marine ship movements, meaning I could evade them, or go after specific ships for information, or their payroll if I felt it would be useful. He also had access to Den-Den Mushi, so I could have someone on the island connecting me to him in order to get the information faster. I could easily destroy a Marine base's supply shipments and make them give up an island.

"Hey, Luna, er, captain." Pell said. I gestured for him to walk over. "Um, Larisa, wanted me to give this to you." I looked at him as he walked up beside me. He had a note, which I took.

"Good news." I said. "I'm glad to hear things are going fine…" I looked out at the ocean. "Do things seem, too easy to you?"

"Um, a little, I guess." He said. "Sario told me about, what you've done in the past few weeks. Yeah, things seem, too easy."

"Either I've got a great crew, great luck, or something's not right." I said quietly.

"What's the note about?" He asked after a few seconds. I looked at it.

"She says that she's fully set up." I said. "She's concerned about the rocking, but she says she can deal with it if we help her."

"About that…" He said. "I'm, squeamish." I patted his shoulder.

"Don't worry about it." I said. "If you don't want to do something, you don't have to do it." I looked at him as he smiled a little. "There are some things we can't do. I can't swim, and, you're squeamish. It's no big deal."

"So, when will we get to, where we're going?" He asked after a few moments.

"About eight days." I said. "But we're stopping off at a few places along the way. I want to grab some things here and there, get some equipment for the ship. We're officially on our way."

"To what, though?" He asked.

"Well, I want to save someone important to me." I said. "But after that… I guess we can try to get to the treasure of Gold Roger. It'd sure be fun just to look for it." He laughed as I stepped back. "For right now though, I'm going to train. See you at breakfast."

"O-okay." He said, still laughing quietly. He walked away and I followed. When he turned, I went to the roped off area.

"Okay." I said quietly. "Short range Soru. Let's see if I can keep it in the ropes." I leaned forward and ran to the edge of the ropes, stopping just barely before it. "One." I went to the other side and around the corners, counting them off. I continued for the better part of a few hours, and a few of the crew started walking up on the deck, probably to wait for breakfast, but I stopped and put my hand at Sario's shoulder, my other hand at his throat pretending I had a knife. "Close, but not close enough." He laughed. His arm was past my head in a punch, and I was contorted to avoid the 'knife'.

"Can't hurt to try." He said. We moved back but I threw a punch that, he evaded perfectly.

"Not bad." I said. "But you're still dead."

"What?" He asked. He looked and groaned. "Knife. Cheater."

"Same hand that had it before." I said. He laughed as I moved back. "So, what's for breakfast?"

"Scrambled eggs, ham, and pancakes." He said. "What's on the training schedule today?"

"I'm working on my Soru, _you_ are working on your Kenbunshoku." I said. He nodded. "Pick a partner, start dodging. I'll do a hundred laps around the deck, eat breakfast, and do a hundred more." He laughed as I patted his shoulder. "Good luck."

"You too, Rose." He said. I laughed as I walked over to the edge.  
>…<p>

"Excuse me, captain?" Larisa asked.

"You can just call me Luna." I said. "We're going to be on the ship for months at a time, so we might as well forgo formalities." She walked over and sat down against the rail. I was sitting on top of a barrel with an apple in my hand. "What's up?"

"Well, I've been looking at a few things, and I'm a little concerned." She said. "Judging by numbers, figuring the calories and amount of vitamin C in our fruit and vegetable stores, we don't have enough to keep everyone from getting scurvy. We need more oranges, or lemons, or whatever we can get for vitamin C." I nodded.

"Next island we're on, I'll go shopping with you for food." I said. "Keep in mind we'll have to replenish our stores regularly." She nodded as she looked at me.

"And I'm also a little worried about, how hard the others are training." She said. "They're overexerting themselves far too much each day."

"Okay." I said. "I understand. Pops had everyone be a little careful with their training. When you're tired, stop for a while and get a few hours rest and some food. That's what he said to every new member of the family." I took a bite as she laughed quietly.

"Casual man?" She asked. I nodded as I swallowed.

"Yeah." I said. "Great man. He's the strongest man in the world, and the nicest, greatest, sweetest man, too." She smiled. "Like a great big teddy bear when he's happy… But I don't think I've seen him _really_ mad before…" I laughed. "Closest I've seen him to mad was when one of the guys was sober and kept hitting on me when I was fourteen after I asked him to leave me alone. He finally tells the guy to back off, and when he doesn't, he tells me to knock him out, as a training exercise." I laughed louder and she smiled. "He decides to bet that if he beats me, I do what he wants, so I bet that if I win, he has to let me practice one of my Haki techniques on him for a week."

"I take it you got in your practice?" She asked.

"Yup." I said. "He hit me, once. Punched me square between the eyes as hard as he could, said it was his 'one shot takedown'. Instead of that happening, remember what happened to Sario?" She nodded, but laughed after a moment. "But instead of hissing like a deflating balloon with a tiny leak, the guy yells in pain after a moment and cradles his bruised knuckles, and then I give him a shot to the chest. Back then, I was still getting used to my strength. He flew back, hit the mast, and just…" I snapped my fingers and she laughed. "Passed out. When he woke up, he wanted a rematch, but I didn't even bother playing with him. I just, decked him… Literally."

"How does one literally, um, 'deck' someone?" She asked.

"You grab the guy by the head and moved back real fast, fall with him, his head hits the deck." I said. "I did it to him, he woke up with a headache, and he owed me a month of Haki training."

"Impressive." She said. "Is, that why you're so capable?"

"Somewhat." I said. "I was trained by Pops to be that good. He taught me little tricks, ways of clearing my mind to use one, and a way to focus my body to use the other. With those lessons, I'm _years_ ahead of where I should be, decades. That's why I'm so dangerous."

"Well, I'm certainly going to remember to stay on your good side." She said.

"As long as you're part of my crew, you're always on my good side." I said. I moved my hand out and she slowly took it. "You're always welcome here, and you're always a friend that's as close as family." She laughed quietly.

"Well, I'm not sure about that, yet." She said. "But, I think we'll become very close in the days to come."

"I certainly hope so." I said. "Because I already trust you with my life." She blushed a little as she let go of my hand and I looked out to sea. "Did you know Pops needs 'round the clock care? Or, the nurses say so…"

"W-well, he is quite, experienced…" She said. I laughed.

"That's how he puts it sometimes." I said. She laughed with me. "Anyway he's always hooked up to some things, with three nurses watching over him all the time in shifts, he has a nasal canula all the time so he gets enough oxygen, leads hooked up to monitors, IV tubes keeping him properly hydrated and nourished… He's a big man, you know. _Huge_ man, like he's half Giant or something." She laughed. "Hard to keep enough nourishment and water to him because of how much he sleeps, about fourteen hours a day."

"I'm, kind of surprised…" She said. "I mean no offense, but, that you know what a nasal canula is, what IV tubes are…" I laughed.

"Well, I talked to the nurses about what he was hooked up to." I said. "They pointed everything out. Intravenous liquids, vitamins, minerals, stuff his body needs… They keep telling him to not drink so much alcohol, but, eh…" I leaned over slightly. "Don't tell them, but every now and then, instead of giving him a large glass of water, I'd give him a large glass of sake." She giggled into her hand. "I know they say to cut it out completely, but if you change someone's diet completely and suddenly, to things he isn't used to, it might shock his system and hurt him more than it'll help him."

"Possibly." She said. "Add to it slowly, take things away slowly, and it'll be easier I suppose."

"He'll never give up sake." I said. "I know Pops well enough to say that he won't do so without a fight, and… He's the strongest man in the world." She smiled as I sighed. "You know, if we see him, we should point him to the spa island."

"I bet he'd like that." She said.

"Oh yeah, but it'd take at least five girls to give him a massage." I said. "_Big_ man." She laughed as I put the whole apple in my mouth and chewed it.

"I think he'll be proud of you." She said. I swallowed and nodded.

"Yes, he will be." I said. "When he sees my bounty, I think I'll get a letter from him, saying how proud he is… Did you know he writes with a huge quill?"

"I did not." She said.

"Big hands…" I said, laughing warmly. "When I was just starting out, he'd mess up my hair, and then I'd hug his forearm. Up to the day I'd left, he'd do that now and then. Big, gentle hands. Strong enough to smash a cannonball, gentle enough to mess up a young girl's hair and make her laugh."

"I'm sure we'll see him again." She said. "I really want to meet him now. I imagine we're part of his extended crew?"

"Yes, we're allies of Whitebeard." I said. "I would _never_ betray Pops for anything in the world. I'd always find a way to be on his side." I smiled. A few moments went by quietly, just the sounds of the ocean.

"So, the island we're going to…" She said.

"Yelcha." I said. "I've never been there, but I've heard about a man who can give me some passports. We'll eventually go to other islands, and I want a special ship to be commissioned. We have the money for it at this point, but I want to get some stuff. When we dock, in the morning we'll hit the shops and get some food that you want us to get, and then we can get some other things… I've also heard about a man that makes _amazing_ rice balls." She laughed.

"You and your rice balls." She said.

"If possible, he'll be the ship's permanent cook." I said. I held out my hand, fingers crossed, and she laughed. "Here's hoping he fits the bill."

"If all he makes is rice balls though…" She said. I shrugged.

"Then we'll get someone that can cook meat." I said. She laughed quietly as I looked up. "It'd be nice to have a great cook who knows a lot of recipes by heart. If not, I'll buy or steal a book of recipes."

"From the Marines, of course." She said.

"Or a World Noble." I said. "Those fat bubbleheads have to have the best chefs in the world."

"I'm, not sure if I should laugh, because, you sound, serious." She said slowly.

"I am." I said. She laughed.

"I don't know which is scarier." She said. I laughed with her for a moment until she sighed. "What _have_ I gotten myself into?"

"I'm still working on that part." I said. I moved my legs down and set down on the deck, stretching. "For now though, I think I'll call it. I'm planning on training with Sario. A real sparring match to see what he's really capable of, especially now that he's making headway with his Haki training."  
>…<p>

_I spun and kicked a few times, moving in ways some would call awkward. I stepped back and threw a punch behind me and spun, attacking my imaginary foe._

"_Hey, Luna, I have a question." Sario said. I stopped and turned to look at him as he leaned back on the rails. "Why is it whenever I flirt, I mean it, but you don't? You just, flirt for fun or something?"_

"_Like I said before, I don't think we're compatible." I said. "Maybe, with time, I'll be proven wrong, but…" The ship began shaking and I looked to see the sea turning violent. "Damn it, we'll have to pick this up later." I looked back to see him standing on the rail._

"_Sorry, but if you won't even try, I'm gone." He said._

"_Sario!" I called. He jumped into the air, but instead of falling, he flew across the sea onto, a Marine ship. "Sario, what the hell are you doing?!"_

"_He's got a point." Larisa said. I saw the rest of the crew jumping toward ships in the distance. "You're not even trying to be honest with us. You share your past, but none of your plans. You won't even tell us what's in the secret compartment in your chest, apart from the blueprints. You trust us, but apparently not enough, meaning we can't really trust you."_

"_I…" I started. A lock of brown hair moved into my view, and I looked at it, followed by looking at my body and saw that I was, really me. Brown hair, brown eyes, and so many other changes. "Larisa…" I looked up as she jumped, along with the last of the crew. I looked ahead and saw a big rock, so I went to jump to the wheel, but I didn't get too far. I ran up the steps and grabbed the wheel, but it was pulled free. "No, n-no, this… This can't be… No!"_  
>…<p>

"NO!" I yelled as I shot up from the bed. I panted and looked around for a moment, moving the blanket to cover my chest. I looked to see my hair going from brown to silver, and my body was changing back to my usual appearance. The door opened and I grabbed my pistol and pointed it at, Sario, so I quickly raised it. "Sario, out!" He started to speak when I waved the pistol. "Sario, I have a gun!" He shut the door as he backed away, and I caught my breath.

"Are you okay?" He asked through the door.

"Nightmare." I said, just loud enough for him to hear.

"Uh, how bad?" He asked. "Because, you're pretty strong, and, I'd imagine it'd take a lot to get you to scream like that."

"I, I didn't scream!" I said. "I yelled. There's a difference." He was silent.

"So, sparring, when you're, ready?" He asked after a few moments. I sighed.

"Yeah, if there's time." I said. "You know we got a little ahead of schedule, and I need to ready my disguise. I need to, put on my face." He laughed.

"Yeah, you looked a little, tan." He said. "I guess that's pale for you." I laughed and got up, putting the pistol on the nightstand again.

"Get ready." I said. "Just for that, I'm not going to pull the first five punches. And that might be all I need." He laughed as he walked away. I grabbed my shirt and pulled it on, buttoning the top three before grabbing my pants. "No more midnight snacks. From now on, just some water." I sighed as I pulled them on. I zipped them up and sat down, grabbing my socks. "Maybe some rum…" I pulled my socks on as the thought crossed my mind, and I pulled my flask out from my jacket and opened it, but it was quiet, so I looked at it and moved it. "That needs to be rectified soon." I put it on the bed and got up, grabbing and quickly donning the jacket. I grabbed the flask and put it back before walking toward the deck, grabbing Yami and looking at the scabbard. Plain black with no markings of any kind, but yet still, somehow, unique. Yami, however, was beautiful, and worthy of the story the woman had told me. "Nice to have you aboard Yami. I'll buy you some polish later. I think you've more than earned it… Just need the right type for you, to bring out your luster." I was silent before smiling, sliding Yami into my belt as I walked to the door. I opened it and walked out, closing and locking it in a single turn, the key sliding into a concealed pocket with a wave of my hand. Sario was ready in the roped area, and I walked over calmly. "Sario, thanks for waiting. I owe you five good hits." He smirked as I walked into the ring. "Bear in mind, you'll want to use your best defense against me, or it's going to hurt. A lot." He laughed and raised his hands slowly, getting ready.

"Then I won't hold back." He said. "Let's r…" I moved up to him and he avoided the first punch, and he looked at my arm while I moved my other fist at him. He just barely dodged it, but not the back kick. He fell back a bit and smirked. He'd blocked it with his arm. "Damn, you're tougher than I…" I threw a punch past his face and he moved back to avoid it, though the wind from the sheer speed of the haymaker moved his hair and the feathers shook. "Whoa…" I leaned over him and he stared into my eyes for all of a second, and I smirked before spinning around and pushing him up, making him yelp as I tossed him into an empty barrel, feet hanging out of the top. "Hey!"

"I said I wouldn't hold back for the first five hits." I said. "You dodged three, blocked one. I figured, might as well make the fifth one fun." He moved his legs as the crew laughed. "Now, everyone, let that be a lesson to all of you." I looked around. "No matter what you hear from my room, _never_ enter without knocking and making sure I actually want you in there, unless I say otherwise." There were general words of agreement. "Those who fail to learn this lesson, get one warning. The second time, I'm going to plant you in a barrel. Understood?"

"Aye-aye captain!" They called together. I walked over and looked at Sario for a moment while Larisa walked over.

"Sario, I didn't hear you." I said.

"Aye, cap'n Luna." He said, moving his feet slightly. "Now, can you get me out of here?" I leaned my arm on the edge of the barrel, my hand on my cheek, and a wide grin.

"I can." I said. I winked at Larisa and she sighed. After a moment he made a sound.

"Cap'n?" He asked. "Uh, when are you getting me out?"

"I don't know." I said. "You just asked if I could. You didn't ask if I would."

"Luna, please, it's not pleasant in here." He said. I laughed and moved.

"Hang on, I'll get you upright." I said.

"Um, I'd ask if you need a hand, but…" Larisa started.

"Well, grab his feet and help me set him on them." I said. She nodded and grabbed his ankles, and he let out a quiet laugh, and we looked at him.

"Uh, what was that?" He asked quietly. I ran my finger up his leg and it jerked slightly as he laughed, so I smiled. "Luna, no."

"You're ticklish?" I asked. Larisa blinked.

"J-just on my leg…" He said. "And, the soles of my, feet. Luna?" I laughed quietly and he seemed to lock up, so I grabbed the barrel.

"Grab his leg, carefully." I said, smiling. She grabbed his leg and I upturned the barrel and set him on his feet. "Okay, don't move your arms too much." I pulled the barrel up as Larisa stepped back, and I set the barrel down, but he looked at me and I snickered.

"Yeah, seaweed." He said.

"Mustache." I said. He groaned as Larisa slowly took it off of his lip. "Hey, it looked good on him." They both laughed while I smiled.


	21. Another New Crewmember

**As always, here's a new chapter, and I'm working on more, maybe even a new story if you're interested. Apart from that, have a nice day.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to One Piece.  
>…<strong>

I looked at the food as Larisa went around and looked for what she was after. After a few minutes of me asking about how to spot the kind of oranges she wanted me to buy, she told me that she'd handle it, so I gave her some money, more than she'd need, with the advice to find something she wanted with what was left over.

"Captain." She said. I looked up from the fish as she walked over. "Oh, you're looking for, seafood."

"Just browsing mostly." I said. I pointed at a spot. "This was packed in ice for weeks. I think we'd be better off buying nets and fishing equipment." She slowly nodded and I looked at her bag, and she moved it a little. "New equipment?"

"It's, for personal use." She said quietly. "One of those things I, want, but don't really _need_… Most times, anyway." I shrugged.

"Cool." I said. I looked back at the fish as the man walked over.

"So, buying?" He asked.

"Sorry, but, I don't think so." I said.

"It's one hundred percent fresh." He said. "Never frozen or packed. Caught right at the dock. Whatever we don't sell here today, we cook at home." I pointed at a fish. "Good ch…"

"This was caught in the eastern part of North Blue." I said. "You can't get this here because of the requirements to maintain them being too costly." I stood up straight and sighed. "I'd stop advertising fresh if you're going to call in frozen."

"It wasn't…" He started. I pointed at a spot.

"That spot is tough and dry from being packed in ice." I said. I turned and walked away as Larisa stifled a laugh, walking beside me.

"Goodness, you have an eye for quality, for meat and fish at least." She said.

"Well, shopping for Pops." I said. "He had me go ashore each time, find out how to find good meat and vegetables. Never had me gather fruit. The only fruits I really like are apples, peaches, and bananas."

"Yes, considering you bought three barrels of each…" She said. I laughed. "At any rate, we're set for food, apart from meat, and I assume you've got someone on that?"

"I have Sario on that." I said. "Told him what to look for. Good marbling, what color to look for, and a specific smell that he'd know. I've got him after whole sides, and plenty of ice. We'll work on keeping the rooms cold so we can keep the meat, salt whatever we have to."

"You have a well rounded skill set." She said.

"Not, really." I said. "Really, I'm about, half as good as I wanted to be, and after eight years… I guess that's good, but the one thing I'm better at than anything, is fighting… Honestly, I never would have believed it eight years ago, but, I've got this, knack, for finding vital points and just…" She nodded. "I know where to be, when to be there, and when to move away to safety if I can't take the hit."

"Who could hurt you?" She asked. "Apart from your captain and his crew."

"Oh, there are a lot of people out there, strong enough to beat me." I said. I went to say more when I stopped. "Is that what I think it is?" She looked over and sighed heavily.

"Yes, it's a bar." She said. I looked at her and shook my head, pointing.

"No, that." I said. She looked at where I was pointing and then back at me.

"A tattoo parlor." She said. I smiled.

"It's been a while." I said.

"You can't get a tattoo." She said. "Remember?"

"Yeah, but…" I started.

"You're not about to suggest _I_ get a tattoo." She said. "Are you?"

"Well, considering our line of work…" I said. I pointed at her. "_Your_ line of work." She sighed. "Come on, you have all you need to make sure they do it right. Medicine in case you get sick, something to help your skin heal faster…"

"Luna." She said quietly.

"And you can check them out before they do anything." I said. "If they're not clean enough for your taste, then we'll find someone better." She sighed. "Come on, at least take a look. Hey, if all else fails, if we run into Pops, he has a guy on his ship that can handle it, quick, clean, and nearly painless."

"I'll look, but I won't do it if there's any _dust_." She said. I smiled as we walked over, and when we walked in, Larisa gasped. "Oh, goodness…" I grimaced as a Marine planted the face of a man into the wall.

"Hold him!" A captain said. "I said, _hold him_!"

"Geeze…" I said quietly.

"Step back, he's dangerous!" A Marine said, holding his arm out. I held my hand up just as his nearly grabbed my chest.

"Watch your hand or _I'll_ be dangerous." I said. The man pushed the Marine away, roaring furiously. "What did he do?"

"Murdered a man that came in the other day." The one near me said. The man began wresting two other Marines as he tried to move me back. "Over a matter of five Beri. He's, _insane_!" The man kicked as the captain stepped back, and he looked at me. I handed my groceries to the Marine.

"Lu-Rose!" Larisa said quickly. The man rushed me, but I kicked him in the throat, making him cough loudly as he staggered back, and I grabbed his arm and turned, throwing him over my shoulder while simultaneously dislocating his elbow, and likely breaking his tibia in the process. "Oh no." The man struggled to get up, so I kicked him in the head, flooring him again. That time, he didn't get up, but he made noises after a few seconds.

"Uh, th-thanks." The captain said. I took my groceries back.

"Well, there went our plans to check for a tattoo." I said. "Good job boys." We walked out and Larisa stared at me. "I know, I know… Bad luck. I guess he picked a bad place. Either he was drunk, or the customer spent too much on his drinks and couldn't pay the five Beri."

"Actually, I was going to suggest leaving it to the Marines." She said. "Not exactly low key." I shrugged.

"I don't like low key when I'm not undercover." I said.

"You _are_ undercover." She said.

"No, I'm in disguise." I said. "Difference is, I'm not trying to evade the Marines. I'm hiding in plain sight." She sighed.

"Well, if you weren't so capable, I'd be worried." She said. "But since you are that capable, if they come after us, you'll come up with _something_ to get us to safety."

"Already got one." I said. "Sneak onto their ships with Soru, disable the cannons, break the wheel and ruin the sails, and then get to the Silver Wing and escape. Easy." She laughed.

"If you had said that the other day, I would have said you were insane." She said. "But given your growing proficiency with Soru, I believe you could do it."

"Hey!" A man called.

"Oh dear." She said.

"Wait!" He called. I stopped and turned, and the Marine ran over with a bag in his hand. As he reached us, he panted to catch his breath. After a moment, he held it out. "For, your help. We encourage, citizens to avoid situations like this, but, we reward heroes." I slowly took the bag as he inhaled deeply.

"Thank you." I said after a second. "I was just kind of annoyed my sister couldn't check out the parlor. She was thinking about getting a tattoo."

"She was?" He asked. He looked at Larisa. "You were?"

"Well, somewhat." She said. "A, uh, caduceus, maybe."

"A what?" He asked.

"It's used as a medical symbol these days." I said.

"Oh, one of those, cool." He said. "Uh, well, regardless, five hundred Beri. Yours. I uh, have to get back." He gave a quick salute. "Ladies." He turned and ran quickly as I looked at the bag.

"Not bad." I said. "Some change." Larisa laughed.

"This is turning out to be quite a good day." She said. "We spent two hundred on food, I spent another eighty on, myself… So we just made two hundred and twenty Beri profit with a short trip to somewhere we were going to spend a little more." I smiled.

"We're just lucky that way." I said. I looked up and smiled. "Hey, look."

"Oh, dear." She said tiredly.  
>…<p>

I smiled as Larisa kicked Sario's hand repeatedly, and quite quickly. She was really getting good, and it helped Sario with his Haki. I had trained my Soru for a few hours, and the rest of the crew was enjoying a little time to themselves in town, with orders not to party too hard or draw attention, so they were just having dinner and finding various entertainment around the town that didn't involve alcohol, per Larisa's recommendation.

"How are you holding up, doc?" Sario asked. She set her leg down and breathed quietly and wiped her forehead.

"Tired, but, I know this is worthwhile." She said.

"And it builds a little muscle." I said. "Keep it up and you won't get as tired this quickly." She nodded and Sario laughed.

"Hey, you're doing great." He said. "Keep training like this, I think you'll be able to hold off anyone attacking, maybe beat them, and we can have a little more time to help out." She smiled. "I know I wasn't exactly all that jazzed at this idea at first, but now… You've got a real knack for this."

"Well, I, don't know about that." She said. "I never took the Hippocratic Oath… Though I'm skilled enough as a doctor and surgeon…"

"Cool." I said. She sighed quietly. "Sario, how are your hands?"

"A little sore." He said, laughing. "Seriously, I'm _really_ focused here, and my hands hurt from being kicked." Larisa looked at his hands, closely.

"A little red, but, as a swordsman, I suppose you're used to it." She said. He nodded as she sat down on a crate. "I might need to rest before I continue." I held my hands up. "Captain?"

"Still need some practice, Sario?" I asked. He held his hands up.

"Sounds good." He said. I punched his hands, and he laughed. "I thought you'd hit harder."

"Watching you, I know where your limit is, or close to it." I said. "So, I'm going to go just a little above where it should be. That way…" I threw a punch and he shook his hand after I moved it back. "You can focus on getting even better at it." Larisa laughed quietly. "So, how goes the Kenbun-shoku training?"

"I think I'm doing better." He said. "I think Larisa should give it a shot. You said most people _could_ learn it?"

"It requires great strength of will, but yeah, most people have the potential." I said. "Not great potential, but still, it'd be great for a prize fighter." He laughed as I punched his hands. "Busō, though, that'd be great for anyone." After a few minutes of hitting his hands, he shook them and held them at his sides.

"Okay, that's enough for me." He said. "More than that and I think they'll start bleeding." He blew on his palms for a few seconds. "Wow." I turned as Larisa stood up, and I held my hands up.

"Really?" She asked.

"You were going to keep training, but if Sario can't help…" I said, smiling a little. She nodded and adopted the stance, kicking my right hand fairly hard. "Don't hold back. I've been training for eight years. Believe me, your best kick would probably do more damage to your shoes." She laughed before kicking very hard, and I smiled. "See?" Sario laughed.

"Yeah, like hitting iron, so be very careful." He said. "My hands can attest to that." I smiled as she kicked again, just as hard.

We continued this for a few minutes, waiting for the rest of the crew. If anyone had news of something useful, they were on orders to let me know as soon as possible, so we could plan as was needed. When the first man came aboard, a man named Harding, he walked over quickly.

"Got something?" I asked.

"Yeah, not too big, but, it might just be me…" He said, his voice tapering.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Well, there's talk of a guy that ate a Cursed Fruit on the island somewhere." He said. I looked at him. "It's just a rumor, but, there's always at least a little truth to most rumors, right?" He put his hand to his chin, adopting a thoughtful look. "Odd thing is, he hits places where the Marines frequent in their off hours most often." I smiled a little.

"What do you think?" Sario asked. "Should we look for him?"

"Well, it'll be interesting." I said. "At the very least, we can add one to a book I have about various Devil Fruits." Larisa stopped, wiping her forehead again. "Top it off, he apparently doesn't like Marines, and he's good at not getting caught."

"It's definitely something I'd be interested in." She said. "After all, it might help if we ever need to help someone with similar powers."

"Sounds good to me." I said.

"Word has it he's a thief." Harding said. "That he steals when people leave their wallets or money out, but no one ever sees him. Seems to happen most often at a clothes store uptown."

"Well, I could use some new disguises, a few outfits…" I said. I looked at Larisa, who seemed almost worried.

"Um, yes?" She asked.

"What do you say we go see about some new clothes?" I asked, smiling. "Come on, just two girls going for a new look." She laughed while Harding smiled a little.

"If you need a hand, we can spread a little money here and there, try to find him ourselves." He said.

"I like the way you're thinking." I said. "Go to where he's been heard to be, get some outfits that don't say 'hey, we're pirates', no offense to your current look." He looked at his outfit. "And we'll take care of the place he's struck most often." He nodded as Sario stretched.

"I'll hit up another place." He said. "Any chance he shows up near blacksmiths or weapon shops?"

"No, he steers clear of anywhere like that." Harding said. "Just a guess, but armed people _are_ better suited to protecting their money." We laughed while Sario rubbed his head.

"Darn, because I saw a pretty cool set of axes I could practice with." He said. "Maybe get one for Pell, as a welcoming gift."

"Well, go buy 'em." I said. "Not like we don't have a little cash to spare."  
>…<p>

I squealed quietly as I looked at a dark blue dress. It was formal, backless, and seamless. Larisa was looking over clothes in another area, but I wanted something for infiltrating parties, or at the very least, going to parties with if I were invited for whatever reasons.

"I take it you'd like to try this on?" A saleswoman asked. I nodded, fighting the urge to grow a tail just so I could wag it. "Would you like the matching gloves, shoes, and purse?" I looked at her as I fought another urge to make my eyes grow to twice their size.

"Yes please." I said in a high tone. She laughed.

"I don't think anyone has ever been so excited to try on a dress." She said. I looked at it. "I just hope it fights right, so you won't be sad."

"It'll fit." I said. "Like a glove." She slowly took it off of the rack while I picked up the shoebox and the gloves she'd mentioned, along with the purse. "They're so beautiful."

"Special ordered just so we could have something for formal parties." She said. "There are a few like it, but they're all unique in their own way. No two exactly alike." She walked over to a dressing room and handed the dress to me. "If you need anything, I'll be at the counter."

"Thank you." I said happily. She walked away as I stepped in. I put my wallet down so it was in plain view and set the dress on a rail before undoing my shirt. I took it and my jacket off and put them on a hook, and I removed my pants. "This is a beautiful dress. I'm glad I've got the money for it." I removed my boots and set them aside, putting my gloves next to them before removing my socks. I carefully took the dress off of the hook and slipped it on, followed by the shoes and long gloves, though I had to slim my body down a little and lengthen my feet just a bit. Looking at the mirror, I squealed quietly. "Yes. It fits _perfectly_." I heard the curtain move slightly, so I looked at it. I'd put a lot of money in my pockets as well as my wallet, so I was set, but I stared at the wallet as it moved, without the aid of a hand. I slowly turned and it stopped. After a moment, I picked up the purse and looked it over. "Such a beautiful purse as well." I smiled and saw something move, vaguely shaped like an arm, but it quickly became nearly invisible. 'Camouflage? That's his power? Uh, camo-camo fruit?' I watched the hand go out so I opened the curtain, and saw it move behind a stand, and quickly toward the door. I grabbed my jacket and quickly walked toward the counter. "It fits." The woman smiled and giggled.

"So it does." She said. "Wow, it looks good on you. You don't even need makeup." I giggled.

"I have to hurry to my ship though." I said. "I have a friend to grab my things. I forgot something kinda important."

"You'll wear that out?" She asked. I nodded, paying attention to someone moving slowly out of the store. "Okay, it will come to…" I put down a large amount of money. "Um, that, is a little, too much."

"My friend is looking for some clothes." I said. I looked over at Larisa as she looked at me, so I waved. It was the signal that I'd spotted the thief. She waved back. "I've got the pay for this, so find something nice, sis."

"Okay." She called. I turned back as the woman smiled.

"Have a nice day." She said. "I'll show your sister to your changing room." I nodded and walked out after the figure walking out, and I spotted it walking carefully toward an alley, so I walked somewhat near it, but not like I was following it.

'He's not bad.' I thought. 'If I weren't looking for him, he'd have stolen my money for sure. Too bad for you, camo-camo man.' I saw him go down the alley, so I stopped and looked at my jacket, which I held over my arm. "Oh, my wallet." The figure stopped, stepping right in a puddle. I turned slightly and walked down the alley. "Sir, I believe you have something of mine." He turned, and became visible. He was, to my surprise, a very large, purple lizard man.

"How did you know I was here?" He asked. I stared for a moment.

"Well, being that tall kind of helped." I said. "Honestly, I thought you'd be smaller, for a thief. But that camouflage…" I walked a little closer and held my hand out. "My wallet." He moved back. He wore a gray button up shirt, cargo pants, and a pair of steel toe boots with the steel partly visible, and some black leather gloves with claws sticking out. He looked, like a giant chameleon. I moved my fingers and he shook his head.

"I need the money more than you." He said. "How you can afford such fancy clothing without your wallet just shows how a follower of the Marines steals so much from others."

"I stole that from…" I started. Without warning, I had dodged a punch. He'd somehow closed twenty feet in under a second, but it was probably from his long legs. He stood up fully, and towered over me. "Hey, calm down, I just…" I dodged another punch, narrowly. "Man, you're, quick." I caught his other fist, and he swung his other arm at me, throwing me against a wall, hard. As he started turning, I got up. "Now that's just rude. I _just_ bought this dress, _and_ you made me drop my jacket, in a puddle." I put the purse down carefully on a clean surface and sighed.

"H-how did you…" He started. "I did that to a Marine, and knocked him out." I brushed the bottom of the dress off.

"I'm tougher than the Marines." I said in an annoyed tone. "Now…" I dodged another punch and went to hit him, but he avoided it by jumping back. "For a big lizard, you're pretty quick. Now…." He suddenly shot his tongue at me, and I just moved around it to keep from getting hit. I looked and saw that he had grabbed my jacket, and reeled it in. "Okay, now I'm going to hurt you. That may not be my best jacket, but it has a few of my keys. Give it back, and I'll just hit you once." He put the jacket behind him and shot his tongue out again, so I grabbed it and wrapped it around my arm. As he pulled, I returned the favor. He groaned as I pulled harder, and he quickly let out a yelp of pain. "You've already put dirt and dust on a brand new dress, and now there's _spit_ on my jacket and my new gloves. My shoes are scuffed, _and_ you stole my wallet." As I pulled him right up to me, I grabbed the horn on his nose, and looked into his right eye, while the left looked behind him. "Any words before I rip your tongue out?"

"Thtupid Mawine wenkch!" He said angrily. I pulled him closer and pointed at his eye.

"I'm _not_ with the Marines." I said sternly. "I'm a _pirate_." His other eye focused on me as I grabbed his horn with both hands. "Now, I'll forgive you for your transgressions, on one condition. You join my crew." I saw surprise. "If you don't, I'm going to break your horn off. Then I'm going to stomp on your tongue with my heel. Okay?" He nodded. "Take your time… While your thinking, what the hell did you eat to turn into, this?" I looked him over for a moment as he looked around, visibly in thought.

"Tokage-Tokage." He said. "Model Chameleon."

"Ah, Zoan type." I said thoughtfully. "So, your choice? Broken horn and stomped tongue, or fight the Marines with me." His eyes focused on me.

"You fight them?" He asked.

"They tried to kill me." I said. "So I trained with a great pirate, and stole a Marine ship."

"Luna Veluria." He said. He held my things out, but as I took my wallet, he let his hand hang in the air. I took it. "Harold Azuria." I let go of his horn and he slowly changed into a human, making me tilt my head.

"Cool." I said. He laughed quietly.

"Uh, sorry about the dress." He said. I shrugged.

"No damage." I said. "Haki." He nodded. "So, my jacket." He handed it to me. "Keep in mind, you don't toe the line, I am more than willing to throw you overboard. We both know what'd happen there." He was silent. "I'm not kidding."


	22. A Painful Lesson

**Finally, we have some action, after lengthy dialogue and a story within a story. Hope you like it, though I've been a little stuck on most of my stories for a while. That said, I've been rewriting a fair amount of a few chapters in two stories, so I haven't gotten many new chapters prepared. If you'd like an OC, please review and I'll send you a character sheet and some small instructions for some of the usual questions, and I'll see when I can add them.**

**On that note, I have an OC brought up in this chapter, Laura, and I can't remember who created her. Send me a message and I'll edit this part and update the chapter so you can be credited properly. That said, thank you for the character.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own One Piece.  
>…<strong>

"So, this is the new member of our crew." Larisa said. I nodded as I pulled a clean jacket on, putting my things in it. I'd wash the dirty jacket later. "Well, Mr. Azuria, I am Dr. Larisa. It's nice to have you aboard."

"It's nice to be a part of something the Marines hate." He said. I laughed as Larisa cleared her throat. He still had a slight hiss to his voice. It was, kind of cool.

"Well, I suppose they will." She said. "After all, our captain stole this ship from the Marines. If they're not furious about it yet, then they've got bigger things on their mind." I walked out from behind the divider and he looked at me.

"You, have more than one of that jacket?" He asked.

"Yeah." I said. "If you find a look that works, keep enough so you can wear it often." Larisa laughed quietly.

"Well, I should do a cursory examination." She said. "I'll do a full checkup later. For now, open your mouth and say 'ah'." Harold opened his mouth.

"Ah…" He said. I watched as she put a tongue depressor down, and his tongue stretched a few feet until it was at his stomach, something Larisa watched.

"Um, okay…" She said. She slowly stepped back, but raised his tongue. "Don't move this…" She looked at the underside and I walked over, looking at it as well.

"Harold, this is, weird, but pretty cool." I said. He laughed quietly. "Sticky?" Larisa moved her hand a little and nodded.

"Yes, but otherwise healthy." She said. She slowly moved it back and Harold moved it into his mouth while I laughed.

"That should help you get a date." I said. Larisa looked into his eyes and I saw the one she wasn't looking into moving slightly, without the other. "I think the guys are going to like you. You're pretty entertaining."

"How so?" Larisa asked.

"He can move his eyes like a chameleon's." I said. She looked as his eyes moved in separate directions.

"Oh, that's interesting." She said. "She said you could, transform?" He nodded.

"I ate a Devil Fruit, the Tokage-Tokage, chameleon type." He said.

"Could you demonstrate the form you took?" She asked. "I'm not a veterinarian, but I need to be sure everything is within safe levels." He shifted to the form and I laughed as the door opened. I looked over as Sario slowly walked in.

"Uh, tell me, I'm dreaming." He said.

"Nope." I said. I looked at Harold as Larisa looked him over.

"Significant change in mass, thin limbs, but with more fingers than a chameleon…" She said quietly. "This is the, hybrid, state?" He nodded as Sario walked over and tapped my arm. I looked at him and took a paper, unrolling it.

"Ooh, Larisa, you have a bounty?" I asked. She froze. "Cool. Twenty million? What did you do? This is like, third issue. They only seem to put the reasons on a first issue."

"Um, I'm not, entirely certain." She said. "But if it's there, then they must, have a reason… Mr. Azuria, how is it that your shirt, stretched… It's still properly proportioned to your, slightly lengthened torso."

"No idea…" He said. He leaned forward and his eyes angled down.

"So, Harry…" Sario said.

"Harry?" He asked. "My name is Harold."

"Harry…" Sario said. "It's, a nickname."

"Oh." Harold said.

"Anyway, uh, do you have a bounty yet?" Sario asked.

"No." He said. "Well, yes, but they don't have a picture for any of my forms. I was always sure to stay camouflaged."

"As a giant purple lizard." Sario said. Harold slowly vanished, blending in and making Larisa stand up.

"Mr. Azuria, could you return to your, er, normal, color?" She asked. "And raise your left foot without your shoe?" He shifted back to normal and I giggled quietly as I looked at Larisa's bounty picture. "Thank you…"

"Cool." Sario said. "You know, that gives me an idea. Captain, we need someone else for stealth ops. He's pretty good, right?"

"Would have gotten away with my wallet had I not been looking for him." I said. "You're right." I looked up. "Mr. Azuria, you are hereby granted the title of stealth procurement specialist." I tapped Sario's shoulder. "Hey, you two can train with your Haki together. You're getting better, so you can be his mentor, and he's fast. Threw a punch that _actually_ caught me."

"He hit you, and you didn't let him?" Larisa asked. I nodded.

"I am faster than I look." Harold said. "I am moderately skilled in Kenbun-shoku as well."

"Okay." Larisa said. "We will do a detailed examination in the medical bay later this evening, before dinner." She slowly patted his shoulder. "For now, if I know Captain Luna as well as I think I do, she would like you to introduce yourself to the crew." He looked at me and I nodded.

"You _do_ know me." I said. "Though I'd say stay in your human form, or the Marines on the dock might be a little, suspicious." He resumed his human form and Sario gestured.

"Come on, I'll show you around." He said. "Pell's going to be happy to see another new guy. Keep in mind, he, Clarence, and our helmsman are ex-Marines." Harold walked out with him.

"Are you sure we can trust them?" He asked.

"Two defected because they were sympathetic to pirates." Sario said. "The helmsman, Sten, was dishonorably discharged, and was the first to join after me. I'm the first mate." They walked away and I laughed, but Larisa sighed.

"So…" I said. "Too embarrassing for the boys?" She sat on the bed, but looked up as I closed the door. "Mind telling me? Best I know before I ask the Marines. I know they know."

"It's, a difficult subject, and, I would like to, keep it to myself, for now." She said. "Let's just say, it's also, why I won't tell you my last name." I blinked. "I'm sorry, but, we all have our secrets, and I hope you'll respect my wishes on this…"

"So, Larisa, isn't your last name." I said after a minute. She laughed quietly. "Well, that's news to me." I looked at the poster. "Why wouldn't they put it here?"

"The man that, issued it, wouldn't want it listed." She said.

"Father?" I asked. She was silent. "Well, if you don't want to say…" She seemed nervous, so I looked at my wall. "I guess I'll wait until you're ready to." I felt that she was looking at me as I thought about the blank wall. "You know what…" I grabbed some tape and walked over, putting the poster up before taping it, followed by mine just above it. "There. What do you think? As we get bounties, I'll put them up. And we'll put some up in the galley." She laughed quietly.

"Um, I guess, that sounds okay." She said. "You'll always remember everyone's names."

"Yeah, hey, I didn't think of that." I said, laughing. "I just wanted to put it up and say it's our family tree." She laughed a little more as she walked over, her hands on her upper arms. "But yeah, I'll be able to remember the names of everyone." I smiled. "That's why you're a doctor. You're smart." She smiled.

"Yeah, I guess I am." She said. After a moment, I looked at her. "Y-yes?"

"You know, you're right." I said. "We all have our secrets. I didn't think about it before, because, I thought calling us family, would just make everyone think that way… I keep thinking things are just, gonna be like it was with Pops' crew…" I looked at the posters. "Until we're ready to share our biggest secrets… It'll be a while until it's like that. But, I hope someday, we can get to that." She was quiet for a moment.

"I hope so, too." She said quietly. "It, would be very nice. Being able to trust everyone so much that, we become more than just a crew." I nodded.  
>…<p>

I settled against the wall as Larisa looked over the instruments at the tattoo parlor. Sario was there as well, intending to get a tattoo. Larisa just wanted to make sure it was clean enough for him. After a few minutes, she looked at the artist that would work on him and gestured.

"Your hands please?" She asked. He raised them and she looked under his nails, between his fingers, and all over his palms.

"I wear surgical gloves after scrubbing thoroughly." He said. "That guy that was caught the other day was an amateur, dirty needles, got people sick all the time. I have, so far, never gotten a single customer sick." She nodded.

"Okay." She said. "I'll oversee, if you don't mind. He is in my charge, after all."

"I'd be grateful, actually." He said. "Just because no one _has_ gotten sick yet doesn't mean it's impossible." Sario sat down in a chair as the man walked over.

"Well, now that this is settled, I'm going to go take a look over at the pawn shop." I said. "Maybe if I'm lucky I'll find something cool." Larisa nodded as Sario began drawing with one of his quills.

"So, here's what I'm thinking." He said. "Nothing too fancy, just a simple one, up high on the left arm, here." I started walking out.

"The bicep, yes." Larisa said. "Not a tender spot, and you have virtually no hair to clean away."

"Heck of a muscle." The artist said. I walked toward the shop when someone bumped into me.

"Whoop, sorry-sorry." A girl said.

"No, no, it was my fault." I said. I looked to see a young girl around my age wearing a sleeveless white shirt with a strange image, a black tree with a body hanging from a noose.

"No-no, mine." She said. She was about my height. She dusted my shoulder off. "Pretty girls never bad." I laughed quietly.

"Well, we're both pretty, so, I guess it was just the wind." I said. She giggled.

"Funny and pretty." She said. "And cute-cute." I smiled. She had a somewhat cute face, but her eyes were odd. One was purple without a pupil, and the other was white with a very small pupil, barely visible were it not for the iris color, but she looked fully lucid. "Buy drinks."

"Uh, no, it's a bad time for me." I said. I gestured to the tattoo parlor. "My brother's getting a tattoo, and my aunt's making sure he doesn't get sick. We're due back on the ship tonight."

"Won't take long, won't drink much." She said. She held her hand out. "Laura." I slowly offered my hand.

"Tallulah." I said. "But…" She started pulling me toward a bar. It was already dark, but the tattoo artist didn't mind working late, since he loved his job. "Laura, seriously… I was just about to go to that pawn shop for some stuff."

"Drink now, shop tomorrow." She said. "My pay." I laughed quietly. She was strange, but it was hard not to find her funny. And something about the bent bandanna with squiggles she wore and the small heart tattoo on her cheek made her look funny. She was actually quite tan, far more than I ever was. "Come on." I laughed a little more as I looked at her. She'd make a bad disguise, but she actually looked like she'd make a good crew member. She had a sword tied off behind her, held level somehow with a small rope keeping the blade in the short scabbard. "Please?"

"One condition." I said. "That blade there?" She looked at it.

"Sharpy?" She asked. I fought a laugh. "What about that? Big-sharp." She let go of my hands and I drew it, and her eyes went wide. "Ooh, dark-big-sharp."

"Yami-Reikon." I said. "The Dark Spirit." She smiled and drew hers after moving the rope.

"Sharpy, made by daddy." She said. She held her hand out and I spun Yami.

"He's a little, tempermental." I said.

"Mean-spirit?" She asked. "Looks mean. _Real_ mean."

"Well, he's not friendly, I'll say that." I said. She giggled. "He's got a story to him…" She gasped.

"Love stories." She said quickly. "Tell-tell."

"Well, we'll get a drink, and you tell me about yours." I said. She nodded and sheathed it as I spun Yami again, sheathing it. "I can't believe I'm drinking tonight… But just so you know, I don't drink cheap."

"Same-same." She said. I laughed quietly. She dressed as odd as her personality. One purple glove that went just above her elbow on her right arm but no left glove, at all, a slightly tattered skirt that was longer over her left leg, and a pair of black stilettos. What really drew my eye was an amethyst brooch, shaped like a star with some points longer than the rest. "Rum?" I smiled as she took my hand again, turning and pulling me along. "Good rum here. Cheap, but good."

"I hope so." I said. "I'm a little spoiled when it comes to rum, and I'm a strong drinker." She had long black hair, and I saw her shift it over her left eye as we walked, the white one. On her back was something covered in a thick bundle of some kind, about seven feet long, tied off with a thin white leather strap. How I hadn't noticed it before was beyond me, as well as what it could be. "Hey, we've got all night."

"Night-date?" She asked.

"Hey, it's not a date." I said. "Just two swordswomen trading the stories of their swords."

"Call it what you want, cutie-cutie." She said. I laughed.  
>…<p>

I laughed quietly as Laura sipped her rum. We'd put off the stories a bit because of a couple guys fighting, and I ended up ejecting one with my foot, followed by the other, but they just kept fighting each other outside. She'd had a few drinks, but the rum was just as good as she said, and I was officially over my limit, but not so much that I couldn't tell the story.

"So, I said I'd tell you Yami's story." I said. She nodded, smiling widely. "Yami-Reikon was forged on a little island, but no one ever got the name. The smith didn't want anyone coming to him to get it, so the first wielder was sworn to say they were from nowhere. The wielder, a woman, took it so far as to call herself 'no one'. She resolved to be buried in a nameless grave, in honor of the smith." She blinked as I put my hand on the scabbard. "She ended up taking on a corrupt admiral about a century ago, a rare situation back in those days, and during the fight managed to single handedly destroy his entire crew, along with a goodly portion of his ship."

"Wow…" She said quietly. "Cool." I nodded and drank more of the rum.

"After ten hours of battling him, she ended up dealing a lethal blow." I said. "The ship's doctor, the sole survivor since she didn't fight, ended up patching her wounds out of respect, but she was dying from a disease that would claim her life six years later, or so she told her. On the sixth year, she gave the sword to a swordsman that had fought her, and she had broken his blades into shards. But she let him live, unharmed, and she gave him Yami. In honor of her, he renounced his name. No one knows what happened to the nameless woman, however." She sipped her rum as the bartender brought another over to me, which I took. "Thanks."

"What'd he do?" She asked.

"Well, the young boy spent the next ten years training with Yami." I said. "Took loving care of the blade, polished it regularly, replaced the grip's wrappings and made sure the pommel shined in the sun on his hip. At the tenth anniversary, he left to battle, and over the course of the next six months he would seek worthy opponents who oppressed the freedoms of the innocent, and managed to become a great hero. One day, when asked the name of the sword, he was given the sword's name as his own. He became 'The Dark Spirit', a guardian of freedom." She smiled and giggled. I noticed a crowd paying attention. "As he grew more famous, the brother of the admiral the previous owner had slain had taken notice, and had heard of what the blade looked like from the doctor. He sought the lad, and they battled on a matter of principle, but not vengeance. The stakes, his brother's honor. For six hours the two battled it out, narrowly destroying a small forest clearing, with Yami as the victor, but he had suffered a severe wound that would claim his life five weeks later. By then, he'd found a successor." I sipped the rum. "This pattern somehow continued for thirty years, passing through the hands of eight warriors, three of them women, who brought it great honor, until one day it simply vanished. The last owner must not have found a successor he thought worthy." I tapped the scabbard. "But ten years ago, it found its way into the hands of a young man, who had heard the stories of such a sword. Turns out he found it as a boy, in the hands of a vagabond, an old man on death's door. He waited, and the old man died, alone, in the rain one night, so the boy stole it. When he was of age, he believed he would be unstoppable just by having it. He renounced his name formally, but still used it to become famous for having it. One day, a novice swordsman challenged him, and the two had a, well, some call it 'epic', battle in the streets of a little town on some island. The two were badly wounded until the young man suddenly fell upon Yami's blade, right through his heart." A few men cringed.

"Bad lucky." Laura said. "Other took it?" I nodded.

"As a prize." I said. "He cast his own swords into the square and left the town, not even bothering to let his wounds heal with rest. Six months later, he's dying of a bad infection, and decides to challenge an experienced swordsman to battle. He draws Yami, tells its story, and is blocked once, and Yami flies up and lands hard, right, here…" I touched the spot beside my neck. "Right through his artery, and straight into his heart." The crowd cringed again. "The man that blocked him took the scabbard and proceeded to draw the blade out of the dead body like he was the actual scabbard, and cleaned the blade off. He polished the blade for sixteen hours, removing months of dirt, but not years. The vagabond must have been an old swordsman, or so some would guess." I pointed my finger at Laura. "Turned out later on someone found out that it had been the doctor that saved the first wielder. He kept it as a promise to her, saying that if he heard it passing through and no one claimed it for their own, that he waited to find someone worthy of it." I drank the rum and set the empty mug down fighting the effects. "So, Yami passes through a few hands, about ten guys, each lousy after the man that cleaned him. Each one just pathetic, until one day, the last owner before me, sells it to a shop. Figures, he's heard the bad stories, and he's nowhere near the last guy's skill, and he got decapitated by Yami. After the first three, they started saying Yami was cursed, that only a truly skilled swordsman or swordswoman could wield Yami without somehow getting killed by him. Anyone not skilled, they'd die by their own hand somehow." She giggled. "And now, my story is being added to this Meito." I tapped the scabbard again. "Captain of a ship, trained to be a master of the blade, and just looking for an old friend. Hopefully I'll bring honor back to this blade. He deserves it." The crowd clapped as I laughed.

"For a story like that, your drinks are on the house." He said. "But, who have you beaten with that blade?"

"Oh, just a few men not worthy to be named." I said. "I, myself, go by many names. But you can all call me, Tallulah!" They cheered and slowly went back to their tables while I laughed. "So, Laura, your sword?"

"Oh, short story." She said. "Shorty-short. Killed a man, broke his neck, took money… Found dad, paid for sword. Sharp." She drew it again and I looked at it, and she gestured, so I slowly took it, looking it over as I focused to become totally sober for that moment.

"Straight edge, fast draw, short sword…" I said quietly. I rotated it and looked down the edge. "Honed, to a razor's edge… Very well cleaned, and obviously well cared for…" She blinked.

"Sober?" She asked.

"Big drinker." I said. I hiccupped quietly and shook my head. "No maker's mark though."

"Masterpiece." She said. She took it back, spun it, and sheathed it. "Best-best, never made better… Died a week ago. Had it made, week and two days ago. New, short story. Killed eight men with it. Pirates, bad-bads…" She seemed in thought. "Gourd Pirates. Dum-dums." I nodded and held my flask up, opening it.

"I'll drink to that." I said. "Bunch o' feckless idiots." She tapped the flask with her mug and she giggled.

"Feck-fecks." She said. We laughed and drank for a moment before I put the flask away, and saw the time.

"Oh, I need to get going." I said. "My, my aunt, is going, to _yell_ at me."

"Oh, late-late?" She asked. I nodded and grabbed my hat, putting it on and standing up. "Tomorrow?"

"Hmm?" I asked.

"Shop-shop." She said. "Said you were getting things." I thought for a moment and nodded.

"Sure." I said. "I guess. Just need some maps." She smiled widely before getting up and kissing my cheek.

"Date." She said.

"It's not…" I started. "I'm just buying maps. If you want to help, okay." I looked at the mugs as I started walking, but I quickly poured the remnants into one mug and drank what amounted to a shot before turning again. "For now, I have to go, and get yelled at for being out this late, and getting this drunk." She laughed as I walked out quickly. "Goodbye Laura. Gentlemen." Everyone laughed as I walked out and looked toward the dock, a good mile and a half off. "I hope no one decides to think I'm harmless. I'm happily drunk, and need to go _home_." I walked as calmly as I could, but something was off. The biggest downside to being so drunk, about three dozen pints of fairly strong rum, meant that I was off balance, my Haki would be sloppy, and I wouldn't really be able to maintain my shifted form as well if I had to. But as I got a quarter of the way I felt something, and an image flashed briefly, with a lot of fuzz, but I ducked under a fast swing, and drew Yami. "Okay, I know I told a great story, but I…" I stared for a moment. "Laura, what are you…"

"Luna D. Veluria!" She said seriously.

"Who?" I asked after a moment of feigned thought. "Vel… Who?"

"Not dumb." She said. She pulled out a poster. "Suit, hat, sword. Stole ship, made Marines bad. Killed a lot." She stared before grinning widely. "Lots of money. And cute-cute." I focused on becoming sober as fast as I could, but it wouldn't be easy, nor would my Soru be useful, being as drunk as I was. I'd probably miss the ship and end up in the bay. "Larisa, more money, Sario, money, rest of crew, lots of money for all. Where's ship?" I adopted a stance for my inebriated state, but it wasn't meant to be used for being this drunk.

"Laura, I don't know what you're…" I started, but I had to block her sword. I spun around as she went around me. She had drank two pints, slowly, so she was as good as sober. How she was that fast though, it was impossible to fathom. High heels, and she ran like she was barefoot.

"No lie." She said. "Know truth, tell me."

"Seriously, I…" I started. A few hairs moved into my view, and as I focused on them, they were silver. "My hair's turning silver, isn't it?"

"Pretty silver…" She said. "Might keep you." She grinned so wide I wondered if she was a shapeshifter like me. I staggered a little, fighting not to fall over. "Pretty-pretty, strong… Red eyes…" She moved a hand slightly between her legs. "Have lots of _fun_ with you." I stepped back a little, and jumped back when she dashed at me. To my great surprise, she jumped with me, and I couldn't dodge or block in time. She slashed my side, deeply, and I yelled as I fell to the ground. I coughed and looked at her.

"You plan, to keep me, but you cut through, my kidney?!" I yelled. She licked the blood from her blade as I got up, but I laughed. "You're crazy." She smiled again.

"Laura Venatrix." She said. "Bounty hunter." I narrowed my eyes slightly. But before I could open my mouth, she was right in front of me, and had slashed along my other side, slightly higher. I staggered back, but was met with several slashes. The images weren't consistent, like she wasn't intent on killing me. That made her dangerous. Either she'd kill me by accident, or she could control the intent behind the attacks. She stared at me and went to move, but stopped. "Where's red-red?" I turned as the wounds closed. A great side effect of the Henkan-Henkan was my body healed faster than normal, to where you could actually watch a gash close and time it. As it fully closed, she pouted. "Take too long. Cursed." She rushed me again and I managed to catch her, blocking her and keeping her in front of me.

"Oh no, you're not getting behind me this time." I growled. "Drunk or not, for cutting my good shirt and jacket, I'm going, to kick your ass!" I kicked her back, but she sliced my calf, making me stagger back, leaning to the side until I ended up on my knee. She jumped onto her feet and grinned wider. "Oh, come on. Don't tell me you didn't feel that." She rushed me again and I steeled myself, focusing on my Haki, and I reached up, grabbing the edge of the blade as she flew past me. She slid to a halt as I got up, turning and looking at her. "Okay, now you're asking for it." I tossed her blade behind me, letting it slide across the stone. The street was oddly clear, and to my surprise there were no Marines closing in. "I'm going to kill you, Laura." I was sobering fairly quickly, but it'd take a few more minutes with my pulse at the speed it was going before I'd be able to really break out my full strength on her. But she pulled the object off of her back and spun, flipping the covering at me. I took a half step back and sliced it in half, but immediately swung down to block, a very long staff. It was red and green, spiral striped, with a golden dragon wrapped around it to the middle from each side, spiraling around one another. The force it put on Yami wouldn't have broken it, but I kept my Haki focused to protect it. "Damn it…" She jumped over me and hit me, throwing me forward. As I turned, she ran around me, striking me repeatedly and keeping me off balance. For around a minute she kept going around me, until I had finally had enough, and sobered up just enough to focus. I made my hands turn into long claws, and I caught the staff and spun around until she flew away from it, though I lost the staff as well. She stared at me with morbid fascination in her visible eye, until she grinned wider than ever. 'Freaking… Bounty hunter…'

"Oh, I'm keeping you." She said, giggling madly. "My new love-love toy!" She got up and ran at me, jumping high and making me watch, and before I could try to cut her in half, she vanished.

"Great, Soru." I muttered. I spun just in time to get a hard kick to the chest, and then one to the back as I staggered. She kept this up, hitting me from the front and back almost simultaneously, each hit making me want to throw up, but I couldn't. Without warning she kicked my clawed hand, actually snapping them, making me cry out in pain from the sensation, and suddenly something was on my wrist. I felt weak, and fell to the ground on my knees as she giggled. "D-damn you! What…" I coughed up some blood and looked to see a strange model cuff, made of some kind of white stone. I let out a shaking breath and she suddenly kicked my jaw. I hit the ground, but swung Yami, making her jump away. As I tried to get up, she kicked my hand, and stood on my wrist. I panted as she stepped on my leg as well, and stood above me so I was staring up her legs. I was angry, and I knew she wasn't going to kill me.

"We're going to have a lot of fun." She said in a creepy tone. Something dripped onto my jacket, but it wasn't spit, or blood, or even a tear. I knew this because her face wasn't wet at all. She wasn't wearing panties, and she was, aroused. "Tied up fun, and you're going to love every bleeding second…" She giggled madly and leaned down, letting her shirt slide up to her chin.

"You're a freak." I said under my breath. She touched my chin and I swung the cuff at her, making her jump away.

"Meany." She said. "Whips make you nice though. Always works on other toys." I got up as fast as I could, but I found myself drained of most of my strength. It was like, being knee deep in water at a beach. I was barely able to maintain my stance as she moved around me, occasionally getting close, but I was more sober than when we'd started. I kept swinging at her, either with Yami or the cuff. I couldn't regenerate the claws, and I tasted copper the whole time. I wasn't healing, at all. "Luna, you're going to be my toy…" She was playing with me, and I was too angry to focus enough.

"Hold still!" I yelled. "Two seconds, hold, still!" I swung at her as best I could, but by that point, it was a miracle Yami's story didn't add me to its 'killed by lack of skill' list. After a moment, I realized I wasn't going to win. Drunk and angry meant stupid, and stupid meant dead, or captured. "You, pantiless freak!" I staggered back as I looked for her, but as she became visible, she suddenly jumped back as if dodging, looking to my left.

"No fair!" She yelled. "No friends! No friends! Doc-doc and feather-head!" She jumped and ran back, grabbing her things, but I drew a pistol and shot at her, narrowly missing her shoulder, but I hit her staff. "Be back soon sweet-sweet!" She jumped onto a building and began running as I dropped the pistol, drawing a second and firing, hitting the roof near her feet as I staggered. "Take you from mean-stupids that don't love you like me!" I staggered a little more as she stopped on top of a Marine tower as lights began coming on quickly. She was looking at me as I set Yami in his scabbard, and I grabbed the cuff, growling as two figures ran up beside me. I smashed the cuff holding my wrist and I knew she wasn't afraid. Somehow, I knew she was smiling at me. She jumped again, vanishing with Soru, and I looked at the ground before coughing up more blood, spitting out a fair amount.

"Luna!" Sario said quickly. I fell sideways, into him, and felt a hand on my forehead.

"Not good." Larisa said. "You're drunk." I sighed.

"Hammered…" I said tiredly. "Bitch, got me drunk… Bounty hunter…" I groaned. "Sick, bitch." I looked down. "Sario, grab the guns and, and meet me, on the ship…" I got up and Larisa took my shoulders. "H-hey, I'm fine… Grab, grab that, stuff, the cuffs. Kairo… Jus' grab it…" I felt my blood alcohol level catching up to me again. "Gotta, get sober."


	23. Thinking and Remembering

**Writer's Log, 9/13/13: Torn between several stories, I figured three months was long enough to be away from the sea. So here we are. Doing a log for some reason. Anyway, a talkie of a chapter, no action, but hey, you need to build up to it. Two chapters and you'll get your action. So without further ado, the disclaimer.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to One Piece. Thank you.  
>…<strong>

I groaned quietly as Larisa looked at my sides, where the scars were rapidly fading. She sighed while Sario looked the cuff over. We'd bought some Kairoseki, but as he looked at that stone, he said we needed to find out how to make it into something useful later. Studying a cuff would be a decent start.

"Unbelievable." She said quietly. "By the length of the scar, either it was a short slash across your side or…"

"Right through, I felt it." I said. I put my hand to the spot.

"Then she definitely got your kidney." She said.

"How can she still be alive, then?" Sario asked.

"Well, I did a test, to confirm what she said." Larisa said. "A quick cut, and it healed fast. If it's always that fast, or close to it, then even the deep cut she suffered to the kidney could heal fast enough to save her from internal bleeding. The kidney should be fully functioning in a few moments. A lethal hit is only lethal if the blade were left in. Even then, shapeshifting might beat it somehow… Have you gotten that good? Shifting things around inside?"

"Hurts too much to make it worth the effort." I said. "Tried it with my liver. Ended up with an x-ray showing me I'd pushed it to the kidney and the doctors had to hold an incision open just long enough for me to be able to shift it back to where they said it was supposed to be." I put my hand over my liver. "If you ever get kicked so hard your liver's bruised, it feels like that, for a few hours, with me." I shook my head. "Ugh, never again. Never getting, that drunk, _ever_."

"Well, the other slash must have done some damage." She said after a moment. "I'd say it cut the side of your stomach, but not lethally so. Judging by this scar, what's left of it, it cut just short of the lining. Saved your life."

"If I were sober, she'd have been dead, and Sario would have a new blade." I said.

"What about that staff?" He asked. "That thing was awesome." I looked back at him, smirking.

"Hey, that thing clobbered me." I said. "It's _mine_ when I find her again." After a second, Larisa hit me over the head with something. I looked at her as I put my hand to my head, to find she'd taken the hat. "What…"

"We're not chasing her." She said. "You want us to be family? I won't see _my_ family chasing after revenge. It only takes things away. It never gives you anything."

"A cool staff." I said quietly. She swatted my head with my hat as I moved my hand.

"You said you'd listen to me and wouldn't ignore what I said." She said firmly. "My professional medical opinion is that _you,_ captain, and everyone in this crew for that matter, leave that crazed woman alone and _not_ chase after her." I was silent. "Here is the diagnosis. If you were to chase after her and she were to attack Sario, who is not as well trained as you, no offense, he would be killed."

"None, taken." He said.

"And she would destroy much of the crew." She continued. "I've no doubt she'd kill at least most of us, including me if I weren't able to learn that, that, Busōshoku technique. Revenge, terminal for at least much of our crew, dangerous for you. I'm willing to bet she was holding back so she could take you alive. You said she wanted to keep you?"

"Okay, I get it." I said. "You have my word. If she attacks, then we'll try to kill her. But if we see her again it won't be because I'm chasing her… I just hope I do see her so I can sneak up behind her and, rip her freaky head off of her shoulders." She put my hat back on and Sario cleared his throat, so I turned my head around completely, but not my torso, since I didn't have a shirt.

"Uh, first, ow." He said. I looked at my back.

"What?" I asked. "The bruises are gone already."

"N-no, the, head, turn around-y thing." He said. I shrugged as Larisa felt my neck. "Anyway, uh, second thing, I've looked at this and… It looks, carved. They carved most of the cuff, and the hinge is… Well, it's a stone handcuff. That's about all I can tell you. My guess, they have it carved by masons. I think, the coating might be, like concrete. They, powder it, add water to it, and then just, sort of put the boards down on it in a mold, and when it's fully attached to the wood, they remove the mold and, smooth it down." I inverted my hands and put my right hand to my chin. "Cool…" I looked up at him. "Anyway, if we had a guy that knew how to make concrete, I think we could try to make some seastone, stuff. Uh, maybe a staff, heavy, for me… One for you… We'll need molds, ways to smooth it all… Masons, I guess would be, great for it. Staff, maybe make a stone sword? Find a way to sharpen it… We could make a lot of weapons, and, I'm just saying here, armor. If we find a Marine with a Devil Fruit power, or another pirate, we could use armor to protect some of the crew and fight back." I nodded.

"We'll find a mason for it then." I said. Larisa held up a small device. "What's this?"

"It measures your blood alcohol level from your breath." She said. "Blow into it." I slowly moved my lips to it after taking a breath and I blew. "Little more." I blew a little harder and after a moment she moved it and looked at the side, but I didn't know when she'd do it, so I was still blowing, and Sario grabbed his headband as my breath blew his feathers away. "You're still quite drunk… Twice what it would take, to kill a normal person. I assume your Cursed status might have something to do with it…" Sario grabbed the feathers and pointed at me as I nodded.

"You're teaching me how to do that." He said. I laughed quietly.

"Big lungs." I said.

"Speaking of, your airway should be lethally constricted." She said. "Look at how your head is spun around." I looked at my back again. "Speaking as a doctor, you should be dead twice over. Asphyxiation from how your head is turned, and from a broken neck." I turned my head back around and shifted my torso to look like a man's. I got up and turned, making Sario stare for a moment.

"Nice pecs." He said. I laughed. Larisa looked at my chest for a moment.

"Full lack of breasts, compared to your 'A' cup size before…" She said. "Remarkable."

"Based it off of Sario's." I said. He looked at his chest and looked behind his vest a few times.

"Hey, she's right." He said. "Right down to the abs."

"Yes…" She said. She shook her head for a moment. "But you're fully healed. If your internal organs heal at the same rate as your skin and muscle, you'll be perfectly fine, with no scars, shortly, though we'll see if there are any issues later on." I looked at my ruined shirt and jacket, groaning quietly. "Captain?"

"I want the shirt and jacket burned." I said. "I don't care if it can be saved, she…"

"Yeah, don't go over that again." Sario said. "What kind of sick, twisted mind could… Do that, while in the middle of a battle, while thinking of, making you bleed? Torturing, and getting off on it… That's just not right."

"I'd offer my opinion, but I don't think any of us care." Larisa said. I looked at her. "Here…" She held out a white shirt, which I took. "And…" She held up a bra, but I'd already pulled the shirt on and was buttoning it up. "Um, captain?"

"No point." I said. "Small breasts like mine don't need anything to hide behind." Sario went to speak but stopped. "Go ahead."

"Uh, well…" He said. "I just…" I laughed.

"Hey, I have small breasts." I said.

"Uh, they look good to me." He said. I just laughed.

"Well, be that as it may, you'd wear a bra if you, expanded them, right?" She asked.

"Well, depends on if I have the right size." I said. I shifted my chest back to normal. "Basically, as long as I'm me, I don't need a bra. But when I'm, say, Zabrisa Lunari… I don't have a bra that big yet. But it's for the best. Lets me keep their eyes off of my face. They're too busy thinking 'does she have a bra'." Sario laughed.

"Or 'is it that cold'." Sario added.  
>…<p>

I drank my water quietly as I looked at the island as it faded into the distance. Best not to take chances yet, and there was no way the Marines wouldn't have found out by now, especially since the bounty hunter would have alerted them. Judging by the lights, they knew.

"Hey." Sario said. "Got your, old look back."

"Burned the others?" I asked.

"Wanted you to do the honors." He said. "Just put it in a barrel, put a little rum on it…"

"Oh, really?" I asked. "She made us waste good rum?" He visibly fought a laugh. "Oh, fine…" I looked at him. "So, the tattoo?" He laughed and put his hand on his other shoulder.

"Doc says to let it stay for a bit under this antibiotic stuff." He said. "I'll show you in the morning." I nodded and looked at the town again. "So, not going back there."

"Not likely." I said. "It sucks, but the only way I'm getting stuff from the shop is if I disguise myself and go back in a rowboat, without my suit…" I tapped the railing. "Bitch bounty hunter ruined my look."

"You know, I don't think I've heard you swear before." He said. "Really, got under your skin?"

"Yeah, and that's what she wanted." I said. "She didn't know before I got drunk… I wasn't paying attention, and got _too_ drunk. I must have lost some of the hair color, went silver, or my eyes went red, and she must have seen a poster after I left."

"What do we do if we find her again?" He asked. "Just, rush in and take her down?"

"You stay back with the others and get the ship to safety." I said. "I'll take her down personally. If I get the chance to behead her, I won't hesitate." I made my claws again. "No matter what, she will die."

"This, is worse than your anger at the Marines." He said.

"She betrayed me." I said. "She made me think she could be a friend, and then she tried to kill me, and then she wanted to imprison and rape me." I put the water down and he was silent. "Betrayal on that level… I thought we could have her in the crew. She would have been fun to have around, would have been a great friend… Then she's… Stone cold, dyed in the wool, psychotic. It's like she did it just to hurt me. Maybe she knew from the start and figured, get me drunk, kill me, take the crew, and get paid. That's just, wrong."

"Like, Mr. Trevor." He said. I felt anger coursing, but I checked it as best I could.

"Yeah." I said. "All in one day, but yeah… He gets no less than she will." He was silent for a moment.

"So, what now?" He asked.

"We're on course for the next island." I said. "She won't find us so easily. Odds are the Marines will question her, and set her on our course later, if they think they can find it. We left under cover of darkness, doused all lights, went around where they couldn't see us. The closest island from there is ten degrees off of where we're heading. They won't send her right after us now. They need information… I just hope she kills a few. Seems the type to just, kill someone at random because she wants to."

"Calm down." He said. "You're going ginger." I looked at him.

"I'm going, what?" I asked.

"Ginger, you know, redhead." He said. I blinked and looked at my hair, shifting it to silver. "If you dwell on hating her, she _will_ beat you the next time around… Anyway, I have a few ideas for, dealing with her. Seastone won't affect her, but we need to test what it takes to make you immune to it, or close to it. Some kind of cover. Full body… You wear enough clothes, so, some kind of, medium armor." I sighed and looked out at the island again. "Better than giving her a chance." I nodded.

"Fine." I said. "We'll do that later." I finished my water and put the glass down again. He was silent, so I looked at him. "How's Harold settling in?"

"Hmm, oh, he's doing alright." He said. "He's set up in his room… I think. He might be camouflaging again… I don't know." He laughed. "He, he's actually, pretty gullible. I told him I had a splitting headache, and he said 'your head looks fine to me'." I laughed after a few seconds.

"No way." I said.

"Yeah, so I had this stupid idea." He said. "I said, you encouraged…" He snickered. "Topless Tuesdays. I think he's expecting to catch you walkin' around without a shirt Tuesday." I thought for a moment and laughed, pointing at him.

"I think I can make that better." I said. "Tell the whole crew that I _do_ plan on doing a shirtless day, optional of course, so Larisa doesn't hit me with my hat again." He smiled a little as I leaned in. "Muscles."

"Muscles…" He repeated slowly. "Oh, the, muscle-y thing you did." I nodded and flexed my arms, bulking them up a little. "Oh, that's good. He'll think you're a man." I laughed with him and put my arm around his shoulders.

"Sario, that's why you're the first mate." I said. "You're brilliant, and think just like I do… What's today?"

"Uh, Sunday." He said. I nodded.

"Topless Tuesday." I said. He smirked.

"This is gonna be good." He said. "How far out are we?"

"Six days, I'm planning." I said. "Figure eight days at the most… If we run into that bitch again, we blow down the mast with chain shot, take out her cannons, and we let her sit for a few minutes before dropping some grape shot down on her cabin." I thought for a few seconds as he was silent. "Hey, quick thought. The island we're headed to… It has a really cool bazaar, all year." He looked at me.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"Kiyam's famous for it." I said. "Among pirates at least. You see, they're under Pops' protection, so the Marines aren't willing to cause trouble to _any_ pirates. Even if that bitch shows up, there are so many pirates from so many crews, they won't let her touch us, especially if they recognize me." He laughed. "How cool is that?"

"It's a right miracle." He said. "How much stuff have they got?" I scoffed.

"What _haven't_ they got?" I said. "They've got it all. Food, clothing, weapons, all of it from so many other islands. They have crews that go to all four blues, and islands along the Grand Line…" I leaned over. "Some even go along the _Red Line_ to Mariejois." He whistled as I moved over and leaned back. "For all the crap they've got that looks stupid, they've got a few things worth keeping. Like Weather Balls." He looked at me. "Hard to get, but they can buy them by the bucket. Kiyam has people that trade with the Nobles regularly." I looked at the sky. "Just think, we could buy a few dozen Weather Balls loaded for strong wind, a few for thunder storms… A few for _very_ violent wind. Pops didn't have a single person able to use them, but he kept a few loaded with thunderclouds because he liked how they looked. Lightning that tingled on his fingers when he held it… Great for relaxing your hands. All we have to do is figure out how they work, and we'll be ready to escape the Marines, or slow them down and make them watch us leave while we wave."

"While you wave…" He said. "Me, I'd drop trou and bend back at 'em." I laughed and held my hand up as I looked at him. He put his palm to mine with a smile as we lowered them again.

"I'd do that, but then they'd _never_ stop chasing us." I said. He laughed as I looked up.

"I'd never be able to stop staring at you." He said. I slugged his shoulder playfully.

"Come on, I'm not that good looking." I said.

"You can be as good looking as you want." He said. "And you're easy on the eyes as it is." I smirked.

"You should see Vivian Demure." I said.

"Who?" He asked. I giggled and shifted my body, and he stepped aside before whistling. "Oh, my… W-wow…"

"Perfect proportions…" I said huskily. "Voice like perfect satin, and…" I closed my eyes, changing their color. "I just look good wearing anything." I opened my eyes and he swallowed. "So, what do you think? The perfect woman?"

"I, never knew the name, but, I've seen, pictures." He said. "She, died."

"Last year?" I asked. He nodded slowly, but pointed at me. "Yes, I know what happened. She was seen talking to Pops, a few Marines learned about it. New boys. Thought 'we're Marines, the most powerful soldiers ever to exist, we can't lose to anyone'. They picked on her, used her as a hostage. Pops gave them a warning, but those arrogant little punks… Cut her throat." I shifted back quickly. "Pops was so mad, he killed the one guy quick…" I sighed fondly. "Threw an empty syringe into his heart. Pinpoint. Nurses said for him to stop and calm down, so his heart rate would go down, so he decided it was time for me to get in there." I giggled. "Gave me his Bisento. I thought it would have been too heavy, but I'd been training with this really heavy weighted clothing. I'd thrown down the jacket and boots, the overshirt and first pair of pants."

"First pair?" He asked.

"Weighted pants over regular, same with the overshirt." I said. "So, I'm hefting this weapon that's bigger than me, take a hard swing, and it cuts the rest of them in half. In one swing, I'd killed a round dozen new Marines." He whistled.

"First kills." He said. I scoffed.

"Hardly." I said. "First kill was eight years ago on the first pirate ship… Marine, never found out his name. I think either I cut his throat, or I somehow killed a few guys before him. Hard to say. I hit a few along the throat, hit a few in the arms and legs, I might have hit a few arteries on them." He laughed.

"Only you could be so casual." He said.

"Nah." I said. "Most pirates are. That's why a pirate crew is always better than a Marine crew. These days they've got so much work and so many orders, so many rules and regulations, a few guys get to be friends, but the crew is just a crew. Once you leave the ship, you've got one, two friends, maybe a small group among the lot, but not enough to really fill out a table for even lunch. Pirate crews, way better." I looked at him. "Captain knows her crew, gets to at least know them as a casual acquaintance. Pops knows every member of every ship in his fleet. They're his family. All of us on this ship, we're part of that family." He laughed as I looked up. "Any friend of mine is a son or daughter of his. Any crewman of mine is a son or daughter of his. Anyone that any member of his crew calls a friend, is a son or daughter." I sighed fondly again. "He's a great man. It's like, there's no such thing as a crew to him anymore. It's just a family with a bunch of ships. He's a single father, without any mothers to his children. If he's happy, everyone's happy. Our father, the strongest man in the world, smiles, and no matter what made us unhappy, may just as well have been a bad dream." He laughed quietly. "But if he sees an enemy of his, the whole family readies their ships for war, and waits for his word. A Marine ship shows up and fires a shot across the bow, he'll turn the ocean against them, tear the sky down and crash it over the Marines as _his_ shot across the bow."

"That's why he's the strongest man in the world." He said.

"No." I said. "He's the strongest man in the world, because he's got a heart that loves all of his children, and welcomes the whole world to be his family, and he'll do anything to protect just one of us." I looked at the Jolly Roger. "He's the strongest man in the world, because he's got the biggest heart in the world." Sario held something out, which I took. As I looked at it, I saw it was a leather flask. He was opening one, so I opened it. He held his out.

"Here's to our father." He said. "May he always be in our hearts, and our hearts with him." I held my flask out and tapped his.

"And may he find a few minutes every day to sneak in a drink or two." I said. He laughed with me before we drained the flasks completely.


	24. Sober and Trading

**How long has it been since I've posted? And how well will it be received? If it doesn't pick up soon, I'll let it sleep for a while so I can focus on others. Thank you, and have a nice Friday.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to One Piece.  
>…<strong>

I stepped onto the deck, where Sario was staggering slightly. He'd gotten pretty drunk, and I saw Larisa following him. I laughed as a canteen was held out. I looked to see Harold.

"I hope you are okay after drinking so much rum last night." He said. I took the canteen and opened it.

"I'm fine." I said. "I sobered up around sunrise."

"Sario said he didn't remember making it to the medical bay." He said. "I find that surprising. I did not think being so inebriated was, possible to be survived."

"Well, we weren't that drunk." I said. "Apparently Sario isn't a big drinker. He had three leather flasks before he went down. I was still fairly drunk from before my fight."

"You had lost three pints of blood before then." He said. "And Larisa said you were still in lethally drunk territory." I drank from the canteen, but I quickly lowered it, just barely keeping from spitting out some horrifying liquid. I managed to swallow it, but I looked at it as I stuck my tongue out. "It's my father's 'hangover' remedy. It's…"

"Raw egg, water, hot sauce, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, sugar, and…" I said, stopping to taste my lips. "Olive oil?" He nodded.

"Yes…" He said. "You've tasted this before?" I looked at it.

"I've had it before, yeah…" I said. "I threw up that time."

"That is the general reason for it." He said. "Larisa wouldn't let me give it to Sario, but it works."

"One problem." I said. "I'm not hungover. I got sober, and woke up… I did have to pee like a horse though…"

"But, you are a person, not a horse." He said. "You, assumed a similar body?"

"N-no…" I said, fighting a laugh. "It means, I had to pee, very badly. The first thing I did was go right to the toilet… Actually, that's where I woke up. I had to pee so urgently, I woke up in the middle of it worrying I was ruining my sheets."

"Ah…" He said. "I'm not big on expressions… I don't spend time among people often enough to hear many."

"Well, you'll hear a lot." I said. "Pirates use quite a few." I handed him the canteen, which he took and secured to his side while I pulled out my flask and quickly drank from it.

"You carry a lot of water with you…" He said. "Good thinking." I lowered the flask and wiped my mouth.

"Rum, actually." I said. "I carry four flasks of rum wherever I go, and six flasks of water." He seemed concerned. "Don't worry, that's just how it's been for four years. Used to be two pints would make me dance like a monkey."

"How, does a monkey dance?" He asked. I laughed. "Oh, an, expression…"

"I danced around for a while before passing out." I said. "So, adjusting well?"

"Honestly, I'm, having trouble walking…" He said. "I am not drunk, I am sure of that, but I keep staggering no matter what I try."

"Try to get used to the rhythm of the ocean, and the rocking of the boat." I said. "Just watch my hips."

"Um, I would rather, not, if that is okay." He said. I looked up at him with my eyebrow raised.

"Would it help if I made my hips a little wider?" I asked.

"N-no, I mean…" He started. "You are my captain, and, I would prefer to look you in the eye, or, at least, not stare near your, femininity… I hope that conveyed properly…" I smiled and put my hand on his shoulder.

"It did." I said. "You don't want to think of me in a remotely sexual way. I get it…" He nodded. "So, a tip for getting used to it, pay attention to how the ship rocks. When it leans to port, follow it with your body, just a little. You know you're doing it right when you feel level. When it leans starboard, follow it. Get used to that, and you might feel like the ship isn't rocking at all, even when you're laying down." He nodded. "That's what we call 'sea legs'. You move your hips in time with the rocking, even on land." I laughed. "Trust me, I apparently have a swagger that turns heads, makes people watch me…" I smiled. "It's kind of fun."

"I, will try that." He said. "It will be much better than staggering around, trying not to spill my water." I sighed.

"The first few weeks on a ship are a little rough." I said. "I had to be so careful… Everyone kept watching me because I walked by the rails. They knew if I fell, they'd have to come after me, so they wouldn't let their eyes off of me…" I smiled. "My fifteenth birthday, I almost fell, but Pops reached over the edge and caught me, and pulled me back on. Man, the nurses were going ballistic, checking his heart rate, then mine, making sure we were both okay. I thought we'd never get a moment's peace after that."

"Pops…" He repeated. "Your, father?" I sighed and leaned over.

"He says not to invoke his name often, but Pops is just what most of us call him." I said. "Whitebeard." His eyebrows rose. "Don't be surprised. He took me in, made me part of his crew, and… He might as well be my father. He adopts his crew, asking us to think of him as a father. That's how we all are. Family."

"I see…" He said. "Well, I am, happy to have such a devoted father… Though I expect if I fall, it won't be his hand that saves me, unless, we were near enough to his personal ship." I nodded.

"He'd catch you." I said. "Any friend or crewmember of mine is a son or daughter of his." He laughed quietly.

"A friendly fellow, then?" He asked.

"Fatherly." I said. "If you're crying, you can bet he'll give you his ear and help you out." He smiled.

"Perhaps we will meet him." He said. I nodded.

"Yeah…" I said. Sario moved slightly as Larisa moved back. "Oh, I love this part. See the look on Sario's face?" He leaned forward and adjusted his glasses.

"Yes…" He said. "Is there, something wrong with him?"

"He's gonna hurl." I said.

"Hurl, what?" He asked.

"Hurl, toss his cookies, call on Ralph…" I said. He looked at me. "You know, vomit."

"Oh…" He said. "Oh! Oh dear…" He looked over as Sario bent over the edge, just as I predicted, and he threw up. I laughed. "Oh my, that doesn't look, pleasant."

"No kidding." I said. I walked over and put my hand on Sario's back as he groaned.

"This, is why, I don't drink." He said. I rubbed his back for a few moments.

"It could be worse." I said. "You could have eaten." He laughed weakly.

"And after all of my warning, you still drank more than you could handle." Larisa said. "Why would you drink so much if you knew you couldn't handle it?"

"Because we were celebrating Pops' good health." I said. "And he's a lightweight…" I laughed. "Ah, to be thirteen again…" She suddenly swatted the back of my head, making me laugh louder. "Hey, it's a little too late to correct my actions _then_."

"I hope that if you ever have children, you do not raise them that way." She said.

"Well, no." I said. "If I ever have kids, believe me, they'll be raised knowing only to drink to celebrate, or the right kind of wine with dinner." She sighed. "Fine, seventeen at the earliest, and only if they want to." Sario groaned and I patted his back.

"I think I'll be fine soon…" He said. I fought a laugh.

"Oh no, you're not even close." I said. "You're just getting started. Just, wait here, and… Larisa, Harold has a remedy that should work, though, it might not sound good… Let him give it to Sario while I go get a few things from the kitchen." She nodded as I looked at her.  
>…<p>

"So, we're, almost there." Harold said. I nodded, looking at the island. The Topless Tuesday prank went over well, and he had spend part of it not looking at me, but the laughter of much of the crew brought him to look at me, and true to our guess, he'd thought I was a man, until I told him about the shapeshifting meaning I was what I wanted to be. After a few minutes explaining my power, he figured it out and decided to just enjoy the camaraderie. "Is there truly enough room for everything of interest on the island?"

"More than enough." I said. "Only the best product makes it there. Weather Balls are the first thing I'm going after, but there's also plenty of interesting stuff. Among other things, equipment, clothing, exotic food, just about anything you can think of is somewhere on that island. There are four towns, each one with a bazaar, but, the ones in the port we're going to have the best stuff."

"And, Marines?" He asked. "You're sure there will be few?"

"Well, there _will_ be Marines there, but none will give us any trouble." I said. "More or less, they're there in the capacity of selling things and keeping the peace, as are a great many pirates. The Marines know that if they attack without justification by the island's laws, and those set by Whitebeard, they're going to be woefully outnumbered and outclassed. Even if we see the Fleet Admiral himself, he won't give us any trouble." He seemed surprised. "Hey, on my word as your captain, I saw him there once, and no one gave him any trouble, and he actually watched as a few well known pirates paid for their stuff, and he, get this, picked up something one dropped and handed it to him. It's a neutral island where Marines let pirates do their thing, though they may give chase after they leave, and pirates let Marines go their way, though sometimes they might stay a few extra days to avoid causing any trouble for the island's people."

"So, we are in no danger of being fired upon." He said.

"If that psycho bounty hunter finds us, even she won't be stupid enough to attack." I said. "Well, I hope so. If she does, I'll have a hell of a lot of backup." He laughed quietly as I pointed. "Yup, there it is. My favorite trade-island." He looked as I held out the telescope to him. He looked through it for a moment.

"Yes, I can see why." He said. "Many trade ships, galleons, merchants… And we will not attack them?"

"Never attack the innocent." I said. "If we take stuff, it's from the Marines or their sympathizers. If they fly the flag of the Marines, they're potential targets, or we'll board and check things out. If it's a ploy, maybe take something big so they learn their lesson." He lowered it and I hopped slightly. "I'm excited. It's been almost two years. I'll have a lot of fun with this, I just know it. Maybe even get a new specialist."

"You truly wish to build up a large crew, before you are fully respected, by the current crew." He said. I thought for a moment and shrugged.

"Details." I said casually. "Anyway, more specialists means they'll respect my ability to rally new crewmen, and if I show off my abilities, it'll go faster."

"Then, perhaps you should try…" He started. "What did Sario call it… A, Davy Back Fight?" I scoffed.

"No way." I said. "Those suck. I mean, you run the risk of losing good friends and honored companions, even your flag. I'm not willing to do that, and if anyone ever challenges me, I'll just say they'd have to beat me in single combat and I'd have to be allowed to pick the rules… And I'd cheat like crazy anyway."

"Cheat?" He asked.

"Yeah, it's allowed." I said. "Say someone challenges me and I'm on the sidelines of a donut race, a race around a round island, I'd be fully allowed to aim a cannon at the opposing ship to try to stop them, or even find some way to get out there and attack directly. Or if there was a referee, I could grab him and make sure he doesn't pay attention to the match so my crew can cheat. Heck, you could camouflage yourself and attack the opposing team, and if someone said we were cheating, all we have to do is say 'no one made it a rule that we couldn't interfere'. And to that end, we could interfere with their interfering, so if they cheated, we could stop their cheating and cheat right back, or redirect their cheating trick to backfire on them." He touched his chin thoughtfully.

"And they would not likely expect honorable intent from us." He said. "After all, we are pirates, and not all pirates are known to follow laws, much less rules…" I nodded, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"You're thinkin' like a pirate already." I said. He smiled a little. "Just remember, you're only the captain if you earn it, and believe me, I'm captain until I die or I find someone better."

"What would make someone better than you?" He asked. I walked toward the mast.

"First, they'd have to be able to command the loyalty of a crew." I said. "Second, they'd have to be able to at least survive a fight with me to a draw. Third, they'd have to be able to earn _my_ respect and loyalty to a degree I'd understand them unfailingly. And last, they'd have to have a good enough dream for me to follow, after I've fulfilled a promise."

"Speaking of dreams, what is yours?" He asked. "We know you are looking for someone, but just what do you plan to do after you find him?" I thought about it for a moment.

"Well, first step is to see if he's ready to get back in the game." I said. "After that, if he is still willing to be a pirate, I'd take him to Tougarest so he could get a ship and crew. Beyond that, apart from thanking him for bringing me into this life and showing me what I was meant to do, I guess we'll do some research and go after One Piece." I smiled brightly as I spun on my heel. "But before all that, we're here, and I'm gonna get some cool stuff and a ton of rum!" He seemed surprised.

"After what happened before, you are willing to continue drinking alcohol." He said. "I am, honestly surprised."

"It's as much for the crew as it is for me." I said. "I've been drinking since I was young, and I've built up a heavy tolerance. The best part was, the doctors that tend to Pops had these pills that made it so that my mental development wasn't at all impeded. I had no idea something like that _could_ exist, but it was useful."

"As they do, perhaps they can be bought on this island." He said. I thought about it. "And perhaps pills that make one immediately sober?"

"I like the idea." I said thoughtfully. "That way, I can get drunk, and if the bounty hunter shows up, I take one, and I'm back at full focus and able to beat her. I know that if I was sober I could, and would have, torn that girl _apart_ in a minute, if that."

"From what I have heard, that sounds fair…" He said. "But as she must have been holding back to take you in alive, just how much _was_ held back in the first place?" I was silent.

"Probably less than she realized, or not as much as she meant to." I said. "She didn't realize she was going to kill me, but she didn't seem to care all that much as long as she got what she wanted."  
>…<p>

I looked at the Weather Balls with a bright and wide smile before touching one, whereupon it began releasing small amounts of lightning toward my fingertip. They weren't exactly indestructible, but they were strong enough to be shipped in special containers.

"Interested in these, eh?" The stall owner asked.

"Oh yeah." I said. "As many of these storms as possible. If I could figure out how to put these together, I could take these babies to places that need rain, or use them for sudden bursts of wind going my way…"

"These are mainly decorative, but I'll see how many I'm authorized to sell." He said. I picked one up and it made my hand tingle.

"These are so cool…" I said, giggling softly.

"You." A deep voice said. I turned as a Marine walked over. "Luna D. Veluria?"

"That's me." I said. I spun the ball on my finger before putting it back carefully. "Here to get an idea on how big my crew's gotten?"

"No…" He said. "My commanding officer doesn't know I'm here, and he's unaware of your presence, thankfully. He's a little angry about you stealing one of our ships."

"Well, it won't be the last thing I take…" I said. "Not that I'm planning on stealing anything _here_. I'm smart enough not to do something like that, on this island." After a moment, he pulled out a note.

"This is a ship under our protection, but, I can't do it." He said. I slowly took it. "It's docked on a deserted part of the island, with wagons full of… Full of…" He looked away as I looked up. "They're known slavers, but they're under the protection of the Marines, because… They're transporting, property, of World Nobles, or, soon to be, property." I looked at the page. "When I heard we were protecting cargo, I figured we were doing something good, keeping people safe, but, I can't do this… I've seen pirates here, talked to them, but once they found out how many, they said they'd need a lot of money, and I can't pay them, nor can I say how much money is on that ship. They're willing, but they won't do it without cash up front."

"How many are there for the crew?" I asked.

"About two hundred." He said. "And about five hundred human slaves, maybe a dozen mermaids, and the manifest said, at least one Cursed man… There are more, but, we don't know how many. It doesn't sit well with any of us, but… I'm the only one willing to step in and do something about this."

"I hate Marines with a passion, but individual men can be forgiven." I said. "I hope you can get out before you're in too deep."

"I'm booking for a transfer to an island that really needs help, one with good Marines." He said. "Will you stop them so we can get out of here?"

"Consider the problem dealt with." I said. "Just keep them moored for another couple of days, make them think they can stay safe there, and I'll lead a small group in."

"Small?" He asked.

"Trust me, my crew is stronger than you'd expect." I said.

"One thing, the captain is a practitioner of Busō-shoku Haki." He said. "And, we've seen him take down a crewmember that wanted out, that wanted to get on our ship so he could leave on another island." I looked at him as I fought not to tear the paper to shreds. "Just, hit the guy with so much force… With a bottle, and it broke his arm the first hit, and then he smashed it over his head… Took a shard and stabbed him in the throat. Told us it was an attempted mutiny, threw the body in the water for the sharks to eat."

"I'm going to tear him in _half_." I said. He looked at me. "He killed one of his crew, for wanting out… A man that, at least once, trusted his captain, to do right by him. No true captain would ever do that to his own, not if he had any remote sense of honor and trust in his crew."

"I'll, tell the captain we need a few more days, that, I've got a lead on something." He said. "Maybe…"

"Use me as an excuse, say that you've got a lead on Luna D. Veluria." I said. "Tell him that you think you can get information on my crew, to know just how strong we are and how much of a bounty we deserve."

"O-okay." He said. "Thank you."


	25. Expanding the Crew

**Chapter 25: Expanding the Crew**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to One Piece.  
>…<strong>

"_So, we're really going to do, this…" Sario said._

"_I am committed to this task." Harold said. "I will be sure to leave a few alive to tell what defeated them, and that we will not allow slavery to continue, that all slavers will learn to fear our Jolly Roger."_

"_I, I want to join this fight." Larisa said. I looked at her. "I have, bought new scalpels, I can use Haki to strengthen them enough to, hurt them. I'm strong enough that I can fight."_

"_Sario, you and Larisa go in together, keep her safe and draw the heat from her." I said after a second. "As skilled as you're getting, it never hurts to have help out there… We're not going to go in over some hill or something but it'll be during the day, tomorrow just after noon, we'll hit them from three directions. I'll go in first, alone, and I'll hit them like a tidal wave. When you get the signal, and you'll know what it is, rush in from east and west, and wipe them out. The captain doesn't get any mercy, he's mine, and I'm going to make sure he's _half_ the man he was before he met me, and I mean that literally."_

"_What about me?" Sten asked._

"_Sten, you're leading the west assault team." I said. "Sario, the east. When you get the signal, rush in together and get onto the ship however you have to, and start attacking anyone on deck. Shoot the entire time, aim high, the people are below deck, so we're not going to stop until we get them out of there, safe and alive." I looked around. "Hopefully everyone kept up on their training." They all nodded. "Alright, get some sleep tonight. No drinking, no partying hard, get in early, and tomorrow, we'll celebrate with the newly free." They all cheered. "Dismissed." They all started going toward the mess while Larisa walked up to me. "Don't worry, you're in on this unless you don't want to be anymore."_

"_I know, but, I want you to know how serious I am." She said. "I, had gone into town to make an order for some special scalpels, longer than normal, with a much longer blade. If I do fight, I'll fight like a doctor, like a surgeon. I refuse to pick up a weapon, and I'll try not to kill, but I'm a pirate, so I may as well embrace that… I never really, took the oath. Never had the chance…" She cleared her throat. "The scalpels are being rushed, so I'll have them before breakfast. I said, I just needed them for self defense."_

"_Good." I said. "When we start, just stay close to Sario and make sure to cut their blades mostly. Show them why they should be scared of a doctor on a battlefield." She nodded as I stretched. "And now, I'm going to go find something to buy before I call it a night. I saw a really nice sword shop with some super high gloss polish, so I'm going to buy a few gallons of it and the recipe in case we can't visit often to replenish our supply." She laughed quietly._

"_Sometimes you surprise me." She said. "One moment you truly look like what I expect a pirate captain to be like, serious, focused, and determined, and then all of a sudden you're back to the young woman I met who, eats five pounds of food for breakfast, drinks six pints of rum before lunch, and smiles like there's not a care in your own little world." I grinned widely and she laughed a little more. "Oh, I certainly do get into the most interesting situations." She walked toward her room while I put my hands behind my head and walked onto the dock and toward the bazaar, which would be open all day and night with multiple vendors so they could trade shifts._  
>…<p>

I stretched my back as I walked toward the ship. I saw the slavers walking around, and some of them noticed me as I lowered my arms. As I got closer, they began slowly readying swords and guns, but before they did anything, a whistle rang out.

"Let him aboard." A man called. "It's one man, what can he do?"

'One girl, but the point remains that you'll find out.' I thought. As I walked on, they watched, and the captain walked into his cabin, so I followed.

"Are you from the Marines?" He asked.

"Maybe." I said. "Depends on if you consider Cipher Pol part of the Marines." He seemed surprised as I sat down.

"A girl, I should have known, with my luck." He said. "Regardless, we need better supplies, because those Marines are starting to get a little 'lookie-lookie', staring at us when we're feeding the cattle." I leaned back slightly, resting one arm on my swords. "I'm considering they may just try to set it loose, and we've got some prime stuff."

"Supplies, I don't know about, but I've got a ship and a strong crew." I said. "Numbers aren't always important but I'd say we're around a third of your size."

"A boost in numbers, food and water, anything to keep the cattle alive." He said. "I'd like to be able to feed them and water them all every day instead of just doing two groups, priority feeding daily while two groups get fed and watered on alternating days. The quieter they are the easier they are to control." I nodded slowly.

"What kind of cargo are we talking about, number wise?" I asked.

"I've got twelve mermaids, beautiful, one of them is a Tigershark with green hair." He said. "I've got half a mind to keep her for my own cabin, right behind me so I can watch her swim to calm me down, or have her sing or something. Then there's the four hundred humans, mostly brats and women but that's what they clients want. And last…" He leaned forward. "Ever heard of Cursed Folk, Devil Fruit?" I leaned in.

"I'm intimately familiar with Cursed powers." I said. "Firsthand experience." He nodded.

"Got a guy in the hold, have to keep him down with this new Kairoseki stuff." He said. "Otherwise, well, he's a Zoan type… What types are you familiar with?"

"Paramecia and Zoan, I know a Logia user, close as a brother." I said.

"Well, this guy, hit the freaking jackpot." He said. "He found a _mythical_ type, gotta be _five times_ the normal cost to the right buyer. I won't take anything less than five hundred million." I whistled as I leaned back. "I _need_ to make sure he survives, but he's a tough little brat, about fifteen years old, and he's stronger than he looks. If he got loose, we'd be screwed, easily."

"How are your supplies right now?" I asked.

"We're entirely out of ammunition, had to sell it for food and water yesterday." He said. "Guns are for show, but luckily the cattle don't know and they're too scared to try. Swords are fine, but I need to be a certain distance to wear a target out so I can put them in their place and take them alive." I crossed my arms for a moment. "So, what can you do for us? We can't spend any more money at this point or we won't have enough to get the new ship, and that's the goal, a galleon, armed stem to stern, ironclad, and ready to hold a thousand adults and at least fifty mermaids." He smiled evilly.

"I think what I can give you, is the truth." I said. I stood up and rested my arm. "My name is Luna D. Veluria." His eyes widened. "Cursed Pirate, and your executioner." He suddenly flipped his desk at me, but I sliced it in half, making it crash through the windows behind me. I heard gunfire right away, and yells from my crew as his scrambled. He rushed me and I blocked his sword with Kurobuchi effortlessly, and he seemed surprised at how easily I was holding him back. "I guess you haven't heard of me. No surprise, I only just started a few weeks ago. And now…" I spun and kicked him out of the room, landing him halfway across the deck. I walked over to the door and kicked it out at him, and I ran near it, smiling as he cut the door in half. His eyes went quite wide, and before he could defend himself, I swung the blade up, hard, and sliced his hat in half, but I only left a slight cut along his lower face, mostly due to him moving back at the last second. He blocked a few swings before I spun around and sliced right through his sword, throwing him back against the mast. As my crew handled the others on the shore, the deck suddenly splintered behind the mast and he looked just in time for a great gout of flame to burn him alive, while I had to jump back to avoid the heat. "Whoa! What, it can't be him, he's out there somewhere in the Grand Line!" I landed near the wheel, and I stared as I heard something hit the deck, hard. There was a yell as the captain staggered backward, so I jumped down and sliced him in half, vertically, and as he fell to the deck, I saw a large and powerful figure coated in bluish black scales with a number of white dots that made him look like he was a piece of the night sky that fell to Earth. He had, mythical features, akin to a dragon, with wings, and sharp claws, looked to be about seven feet tall, I then realized something. 'The Cursed slave…' Without warning he rushed me and tried to hit me with a right cross, but I pushed his hand away, only for him to spin and hit me with a tail. I flew back and hit the cabin and then I was over water, until I hit the ground a few yards back. I coughed as I got up, using my leg as a brace. "Oh, it's a good thing I use Haki at all times…" Images flashed and I jumped further inland to avoid, of all things, a great deal of lightning. I held my hat with my free hand until I slid and altered my stance, watching as he landed. I went to speak, but he was unbelievably fast, at Soru levels, so I had less than a second to respond, so I blocked his fists and feet, ducked under his tail before doing backflips and cartwheels to avoid him, but still be close enough that dodging his fire or lightning wouldn't be impossible or even difficult. 'This guy, is a whole _blade_, above my crew!' I laughed under my breath as I kept blocking him. 'He has to join… Just hope he's not one of them. I hope he's the would be, slave…' I ducked under one last attack before going to block with Kurobuchi, but to my surprise, as I held the blade with both hands to catch his fist, he shattered the blade at the base, making my eyes widen behind my sunglasses as shards cut my face, and I took another hit, being sent back into a hill, leaving a fairly large crater. He approached as I sat there, mulling over the hit, the fire, the lightning, his powers, and the hope that he was just trying to get free and mistakenly thought I was with them and it was a mutiny or something.

"I told you that when I could, I would destroy those chains." He said. He had a strong, deep voice. "Now you're going to see just what I mean when I say a caged dragon always breaks free."

"You know, as awesome as that sounds, I wasn't there the first time you said it." I said. He stopped as I grabbed my broken sunglasses and stood up, looking at them before tossing them over my shoulder.

"Y-you're, a woman…" He said.

"Eh, girl, but hey, I've been called worse." I said casually. I looked at my broken sword for a moment before putting it carefully to the scabbard where it barely stayed, so I removed the scabbard and calmly planted it in the ground, so I could lean on it as I looked him over. "Let me guess, they caught you off guard."

"You mean to say you are not, you were not of their crew…" He said. I nodded and removed my hat, bowing my head slightly.

"Luna D. Veluria, captain of the Silver Wing, leader of the Star Angel Pirates." I said, putting my hat on. "And you, good sir, pack one _hell_ of a punch." He suddenly reverted to a human form, shrinking in height, much to my surprise. He had red skin, likely sunburned, but I could make out his eyes, dark blue and full of strength I almost felt like I understood, and short black hair, that had white spots when he was previously transformed.

"I, I apologize." He said, bowing. "Had I known you were female I would never have attacked you, I would have warned you to leave me alone…"

"Hey, don't apologize." I said. I rubbed my cheek clean of blood and he stared as I wiped it on the grip of the broken sword. "A few days ago, my newest crewman was the first person in months to genuinely hit me without my allowing it, and today you hit me so hard I flew back, something that has never happened to me, and broke through my Haki to break my sword and sunglasses."

"The wounds, are gone…" He said. "Y-you are, Cursed, as well?" I nodded.

"And I'm looking to recruit you now." I said happily. He blinked, staring at me. "Hey, tellin' the truth here, I want you on my crew roster because that's how powerful you are. You hit me and broke my sword, and the shards cut my face…" I felt my cheek again. "I'll have Larisa take a look to make sure all of the shards are out, just in case, but you, great dragon, have earned my respect."

"I, I am no pirate." He said quickly. "I never will be!"

"Oh, and why not?" I asked. "It's not like I'm a bad pirate. Why do you think I killed the captain, why my crew is finishing off the rest of the slavers?"

"So _you_ can sell the slaves!" He said angrily, slowly growing in size while scales appeared in place of skin. I just held my hand up and pointed at him.

"You'd better check your temper before I have to discipline you, dragon-kin." I said. "Clearly you don't know much about pirates, especially me and my crew. A Marine escorting that ship couldn't deal with it, so he told me about it, and I agreed to free the slaves, gratis. The only stuff on that ship that's going to be moved to my ship is money, weapons, food, drink, and possibly clothes if someone wants them." He stared as the battle wound down. "Not all pirates are evil, scales." He raised his eyebrow as his stance relaxed, confusing visible even on his scaly face. "I, myself, have a noble mission. Someone important to me was taken from me, so I intend to locate him, rescue him, and put an end to the cowards that took him from me."

"Who, took him?" He asked slowly. "Slavers?" I narrowed my eyes.

"A Marine by the name of Markus Stone." I said, spitting to the side, though I spotted a tooth. I pointed at it. "You knocked one of my teeth loose." He stared at me before looking at the tooth, and I felt around my mouth. "You knocked out, my pre-molar. That, that's just, amazing."

"Um, Stone?" He asked.

"No, tooth." I said. "Oh, yeah, the bastard." He seemed confused, but also like he wanted to laugh, and I felt the new tooth growing. 'Sometimes I love being a shapeshifter. I can regenerate damn anything.' I just sighed. "Guy sent one of his own to impersonate a pirate in my old captain's crew. The Marine in question kidnapped me and made me into a member of that crew. They then killed many of my new friends, and condemned me to death for something they did to me, and then they killed my parents for the same reason, that I had been forced into piracy against my will, after promising to pay them my 'bounty' of ten thousand Berri." I made a fist. "I became a full pirate after eight years as a pirate under another captain, mastered many things under his guidance, and became a captain on my own, all so I could hunt down Markus Stone and take his life, and save my old captain." He seemed sympathetic. "To that end, I need the best of the best." I stepped past the sword and pointed at him. "And you, Cursed Dragon, have managed to hit me so hard I felt it, more than once, and you knocked a tooth loose, after breaking a very expensive blade." I lowered my arm. "I want you to join my quest to save a man's life and end the life of a Marine who is abusing his power in pursuit of a Devil's Fruit he lost." I held my hand out to him. "Join my crew and I promise you, you'll be treated with the respect and dignity you deserve." After a moment he changed back, but slowly moved his hand.

"On one condition." He said. "I'm seeking something important to me. I need, to find my mother. I need you to promise to at least try to help me find her." I thought for only a moment, but during that time, memories came back to me about my own mother, what I'd lost to the Marines before my life turned to the sea.

"You have my word that every port, I will look for people that might know her." I said. "Port authority, bartenders, anyone that knows everyone that comes through every single town we go to." He took my hand.

"My name is Dannal Ragoken Onesteru." He said. "Call me Dragon."  
>…<p>

I looked over the papers as the crew brought the slaves up and out, and thus far not one had been branded. These slavers only branded them if they were keeping them, otherwise allowing their owners to do the 'honor' at their own discretion. As I read, a tank was carefully pulled up with a tigershark mermaid with green hair, the one mentioned by the captain.

"Wait, please." She said. I looked as they stopped, and she turned to me, so they looked at me while I walked over. "Y-you are, their captain?" I removed my hat and bowed with my arm across my midsection.

"Luna D. Veluria." I said. I stood up, returning my hat. "If there's any way we can further help you, just point out a spot on a map and we'll get you there." She shook her head.

"N-no, it's not that." She said. "I, wanted to see the islands of humans, so, I went willingly into this tank, but, I found out later that they were going to, sell me, or…"

"The captain planned on having you in a bigger tank by his bed so you could sing to him." I said. "Or he'd watch you swim around." She looked at the others.

"Hey, don't worry, we're good people." Sten said as he walked by. "Better than the Marines who did nothing to save you." She looked at me.

"You, go to many islands, don't you?" She asked. She had a beautiful accent that I couldn't place, but I liked it. I just nodded. "I, I want to go with you."

"I don't think you do." I said. "We're pirates, after all." She moved to the edge of the tank, a large cylinder with a lid of mesh wire.

"That would be better." She said. "If you are pirates that fight slavers and slavery, and the corruption of the Marines, I want to see it. I want, to try to help." I crossed my arms as I thought.

"I'm not sure how you could." I said. "After all, your mobility out of water is very limited." She blushed slightly. "Top it off, where would you stay on the ship? Or would you swim alongside and risk being attacked by Sea Kings?"

"I, don't know, but I know there would be a way…" She said. The crewman on the left, Leopold, stepped forward after they set her down.

"What if we built a larger tank on the bottom deck near the water, with a hatch?" He said. "She opens it and goes out as she wants, or during a fight. We can set things up to accommodate her."

"That could work, but what could she do to help us?" I asked. "Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a new crewman, especially someone who could save my life if I went overboard, or Harold or Dannal 'The Dragon' for that matter, but other than that, it'd be a rare situation." She slowly moved a hand near her chest, over her heart.

"If, I could do something useful…" She started. "All I can do, really, is sing…" I had a few ideas, when one stood out.

"You know, we bought an auger that works underwater just in case we needed it." I said. "To cut through ice if we ever had to, or through walls. It's meant to cut through stone or even some metals… It's also neutrally buoyant, so it'd stay about where it falls into the water." She seemed confused. "If we gave you that auger, you could drill through the bottom of an enemy ship and sink them without ever being in danger." She seemed surprised, but the others nodded.

"It'd work." Leopold said. "I can see it working well to our advantage."

"I, I could, try…" She said.

"If you can't, then I guess we'd have to ask you to go to a mermaid city." I said. "But, other than that, I do enjoy a good song now and then. We'll have to put up temporary quarters and find a shipwright to make modifications to the Silver Wing for what we're planning, but I like it. We can do it. All I need now is your name." She lowered her arm.

"My name is Kory." She said.

"Welcome to the Star Angels, Miss Kory." I said happily.


	26. A Quick Checkup

**Okay, chapter 26, enjoy, I've got a lot of research to do and plenty of writing, so that you might enjoy more even better chapters.**

**Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to One Piece. Thank you, and have a nice Friday.  
>…<strong>

I stared at the ball as the others loaded the ship with our new supplies, and I heard something nearby, so I looked over to see Dannal. He seemed confused, so I held the ball up.

"Weather Ball." I said. "Ever see one of these?" He walked over and I held it out, so he took it, and stared as the lightning went toward his hands.

"No, I haven't." He said. "It, is quite interesting."

"I plan on figuring out how to release storms from these, to hamper the Marines." I said. "Or to give us some wind to get away faster." He looked it over. "They sure are beautiful though, aren't they?"

"Yes, it is…" He said.

"By the way, have you had your checkup with Larisa yet?" I asked.

"N-no." He said. "I, I'm not fond of doctors." I stood up and took the ball carefully and took his arm in mine.

"Come on, you need to see her so she can make sure you're okay." I said. "Just because you weren't branded doesn't mean you're in perfect health." He was silent as I went to walk, but I couldn't move him at first, making me nearly fall. "Whoa, hey… Don't make me pick you up. Come on."

"I…" He started.

"Dannal, I know you're new, but I am the captain." I said. "Either you get checked up voluntarily, or I'll give you an order. If you disobey that order, I'll pick you up and carry you to her office." He grunted quietly as I walked him, though he did move his arm.

"Do you really need to hold my arm like this?" He asked. "It, feels strange."

"You'd prefer I grab you by the neck of your shirt and drag you behind me?" I asked. He gave a short laugh. "Hey, don't worry, I'm pretty casual as far as being a captain goes. I hope that someday you think of me as at least a close friend instead of just a captain." I walked him down the steps, though he still moved his arm.

"I'm not sure I've seen friends ever hold one another's arms before." He said.

"What can I say, I'm affectionate." I said. As we walked in, he slowed down, but as he fully stopped, I pulled him along with brute strength that I know surprised him. "Larisa, I've got a friend for you to meet."

"Over here, I'm with our other new travelling companion." She said, somewhat cheerfully. "She was telling me about how beautiful it is underwater in her home city. It sounds nothing short of breathtaking. I do hope someday we find a way to go there."

"Well, you'll be sans captain, stealth operative, and our new vanguard." I said. He started leaning back. "By the way, he's apparently nervous around doctors." I walked past the curtain and saw Kory on the bed next to a tub of water. "So, what do you have to say about Miss Kory?" Kory giggled as Larisa moved back and turned to us.

"Healthy, physically and mentally, and remarkably chipper." She said. "And considering what she's been through, it makes me all the more at ease with, what I did with my new 'combat' scalpels… Which I am also becoming somewhat fond of." She looked at Dannal as he began relaxing. "And this is the gentleman who attacked you?" I nodded, smiling a little as I patted his arm.

"Punched me through a cabin and into a hill." I said proudly. "And broke Kurobuchi past my Haki. I may have lost a good sword, but to do that… I guess I still need to practice so I can avoid that." I let go of his arm and he cleared his throat.

"Um, s-so…" He started. Larisa gestured.

"Have a seat over on the next bed and I'll be with you shortly, Mr. Onesteru." She said. He nodded and walked over as she looked at me and then Kory. "Now, I'm not up to date on mermaid health, but as far as this cursory examination sits, you seem to be the very picture of health. I'm going to find some books so I can be absolutely sure about anything I recommend." I smiled a little more and Kory giggled. "What?"

"She's looking at me with a weird smile." She said. Larisa looked at me.

"Well, smiling is what she does." She said. "If Luna isn't smiling, either something's wrong or she's hungry, or she's out of rum." I laughed.

"I'm just a little jealous." I said. "Kory can swim and I sink like a hammer." Kory seemed confused. "You know how Dannal has the power of a Devil's Fruit? So do I." She blinked.

"Well, since my cursory is done, I'll take care of Mr. Onseteru." Larisa said. "Perhaps you can demonstrate what you can do, but be nice about it. Nothing too abstract." I laughed as she grabbed a tongue depressor and her stethoscope before walking over.

"I, didn't know you, were Cursed…" Kory said.

"Well, me, Dannal, and Harold, all have powers." I said. "Harold can turn into a chameleon, Dannal's basically a dragon, and I, can change my appearance at will."

"R-really?" She asked.

"Yeah, but where they're Zoans, what do I count as?" I asked, shrugging with a grin. "Paramecia or Zoan? I can be like any other human or Zoan, and I heal like you wouldn't believe."

"Wow…" She said. "So, you could, look like Dr. Larisa?" I nodded.

"Or Dannal, or Sario, or any member of the crew, given time to study their features." I said.

"How, how does that work, exactly?" She asked. "I mean, I've heard of Cursed People, but, how do the powers work?" I sat down, thinking about how I changed my appearance.

"Well, the simplest way to put it is that I imagine what I want." I said. "If I want to look like Sario, I imagine his face and focus on that, and then I sort of freeze the image, and I let my powers do the work." I focused on his face for a moment and she gasped softly as my features changed, until I looked like him, and followed with my body before adopting his voice and accent. "I can even copy his voice if I want." She laughed quietly as I tilted my head, closing my eyes. "Give me enough time to study someone and I can take their place for a while, far better than the best infiltrator in the world." I shifted back and she stared. "And then it's back to the dashingly, well dressed, red eyed, silver haired pirate captain, Luna D. Veluria." She giggled into her hands when I heard a familiar sound, one of intrigue, from Larisa. I looked over as she walked over.

"Captain, I think you should see this." She said. "Dragon, indeed." I walked around and stared at Dannal, who was in the fully transformed state, a fairly large dragon with strong looking wings. I just whistled.

"Well, that's interesting." I said. I walked around him as he raised his head proudly. "And here I thought you looked tough just covered in scales in the half transformed state…" I looked him over from front to back, being wary of his tail. "This is pretty cool…"

"And the scales are, remarkably smooth, yet incredibly resilient." Larisa said. "Though, his normal state troubles me. His skin… It's, likely permanent, but he says he was Caucasian once…" I looked at him.

"I don't want to talk about it…" He said. "But let's just say the reason is, I was to understand pain so I could ignore it, so I was made to stand in the sun and get a full body sunburn. It was done so often, red is my new natural tone." I crossed my arms.

"And when did that seem like a good idea, ever?" I asked, honestly curious. "I mean, I did training to deal with pain, and it mostly involved punching sacks of tightly packed dried beans. Once you get used to that, you can punch something way too hard to break, and you don't even notice it. There are limits, obviously, but… Seriously, sunburns?"

"I know…" He said. "Not my choice."

"The slavers?" I asked. He was silent, so I looked at Larisa, and she just shook her head. "Well, now that we've seen this form, I have a thought." He slowly shifted back as I lowered my arms, but I put one on his shoulder, making Larisa wince. "I've thought long and hard about this, but I'd like to see your half dragon form again."

"Why?" He asked warily.

"I had an idea." I said. "I've got two crewmen that can become scaled creatures. One is a chameleon, the other, clearly, a dragon. So, well, you'll see in a moment." He changed, and I noted the minor hair color change, and after a moment of walking around him, I nodded and muttered to myself until I moved back. "Okay, that should be enough study for the physical part, at least to get a rough version going… I don't know how it'll work out, but…" He raised an eyebrow and I focused, hard, and after a moment, I let out a soft groan of pain. "Ow, ow… Y-yeah, that'll…" I groaned again as scales began forming, and Larisa gasped as I grew in height, and after a few moments of discomfort and moderate pain, I let out a sigh and removed my hat carefully to wipe my forehead, being careful of the scales, as Dannal stared at me, mouth open slightly in obvious confusion.

"Just when I think I've seen it all, I'm reminded that my captain is a shapeshifter." Larisa said quietly. "Well, this is a surprise." She walked up to me and stepped up on a small box to look into my eyes. "Painful, at least enough to elicit a response… Hair color remains the same, the scales are, silver, instead of black…" I opened my mouth as I knew she'd ask, and she shined a light in.

"But, I am the one to wield this power…" Dannal said. "H-how did you do that?"

"She uses the 'Henkan-Henkan no Mi' Devil's Fruit." Larisa said. "It lets her change her appearance at will, and believe me when I say you never really get used to it, you just get acquainted with a new Luna, or whoever she decides to be… Goodness me, these teeth are remarkable, sharp as scalpels almost… And you said one was knocked out?" She moved back and I nodded. "You can regrow them. Fascinating."

"As can I…" Dannal said. "At least she did that _before_ she knew I could. I'm not sure how to feel about this. Angry that my power is so easy to replicate, or amused that I'm not the only dragon on the ship that can't swim." I laughed.

"You'll like Harold." I said. "Well, this form should be great for combat and intimidation. I'll add the wings later when I'm wearing a shirt I don't care a lot about… Unlike you, my clothes don't vanish…"

"That brings a thought to mind." Larisa said. "Harold's clothes change size _with_ him, your clothes do as well, but Mr. Onseteru's clothes just, vanish." She turned as I changed back silently, the pain not as noticeable. "Why is that?"

"I, don't know…" He said. "I guess, that's just how it works. The power, leeches into the clothes?"

"It's something I'm quite interested in." She said. She turned, looking up, but then down at me. "Oh." She stepped down. "Now, Luna, I would like to get a more detailed examination later when we have the time, but apart from the permanent sunburn, which I will try to find a cream for if it hurts…" She looked as he shook his head, so she looked back at me. "He's a little malnourished, and I'd say he's definitely low in vitamin C. I'd say vitamin D as well, but with a permanent sunburn, I'd imagine he's got all he'll ever need." She walked away and we looked at her. "Apart from that, after some food and plenty of fresh orange juice over a few days, he's fit as a fiddle. Once I can do a full examination I'll have a better idea of his overall health, but it would seem that Cursed Pirates are healthier on average than should be possible, regardless of inebriation." I grinned slightly. "Oh, and Luna, I know you've been drinking since you were younger than Mr. Onseteru, but he is fifteen years old. I don't want to see him with any alcohol."

"Why?" We asked together. I looked at him but Larisa turned and pointed a pen at us when we looked back.

"It damages development." She said. "Goodness knows how much smarter you would be without so much rum in your system, and despite your tolerance toward it, I don't approve you drinking so much. If I find out Mr. Onseteru has been drunk, I _will_ be quite cross for some time, and believe me, you wouldn't like me when I'm cross at you." I held my hands up.

"Okay, I won't have him drink." I said. "But I'm not his mother. Just his captain. If he drinks on his own, I'll remind him of this, but after what he's been through, I know _I_ would need a drink or two… Or ten."

"Don't worry, I hate the smell." He said. I winced slightly.

"Sake, then?" I said. Larisa sighed and I held my hands up defensively. "Joke, just a joke. I'm a pirate, it's what I do." I lowered my hands. "Anyway, Dragon, now that you've been examined, captain's order, go to the mess and get some calories, in the form of sandwiches and orange juice… Second thought…" I pulled out my wallet and fished out a few hundred Berri. "Go to the bazaar and find something cheap but good, get some orange juice to go with it, and chow down. Don't worry about dinner… Go for something with a lot of calories, plenty, of _meat_." I put the money in his hand and he stared at it before looking at me. "What?"

"I, have never, had money, before…" He said. "I… Don't know if I might, get…"

"Ripped off?" I asked. He nodded. I put my hand to my chin and thought, but my mind went off toward Kory, when an idea made me grin widely.

"Um, D-Dr. Larisa, wh-what does it mean, when the captain, grins, like that?" He asked quickly. "I don't know if I should be scared or just worried." She walked over as I grinned even wider.

"Dragon, I just a stroke of pure genius." I said. I turned and walked toward Kory as she settled into her water tub, looking comfortable.  
>…<p>

Larisa read the book as I patted my stomach lightly, and Dannal rested on his back, groaning quietly. Sario likewise groaned, while Harold finished the last of his meal quietly. Kory giggled as she watched us, the overfed trio, the conservative eater that was Harold, and Larisa reading up on mermaids while she ate a small sandwich quietly.

"Geeze, I've never seen a human eat that much before…" Sario said. "And that's just me!"

"I'm just full enough to make it to breakfast." I said contentedly. "And now, for a drink…" I pulled out my skin of rum, but set it aside. "Ah, why not…" I pulled out the water skins and passed them around while they looked at me. "A toast, to new faces, new friends, and freedom for all who sail under our Jolly Roger." They raised their flasks as I raised mine.

"Cheers to that." Sario said.

"Hear, hear." Larisa said cheerfully.

"I'll drink to that." Dannal said.

"As will I." Harold added.

"Me too." Kory said. We drank together, and when we set the skins down, I sighed.

"This is what it's all about, you know?" I said. "Being a pirate. We've got a mission, but along the way, we can do whatever we want, because _we_ _can_. Anyone can tell us we can't, but it's our choice, not theirs. We decide our own course out here."

"Speaking of, where are we going after this?" Sario asked.

"Well, our ultimate destination, is Water 7." I said. "We need a new ship, the one in the plans. It's a really radical design, way different, and I can make some adjustments. We'll sell this ship after it's complete, move into the new one, and take off with that… But that's probably a few months away. For now, there's a large island, a few hundred miles off, called Barishan. I've heard rumors that there's this, incredible marksman, a sharpshooter that can kill at nearly a mile away, and no one has ever seen him."

"And, you want him on our crew." Larisa said. I nodded.

"Yes, because that kind of skill is incredibly useful." I said. "That's what we need. Marines after us, the shooter can take aim, and take out the other captain before he can react. No one will ever be able to get close unless I say to allow it." I looked at the sky. "As captain, it's my duty to choose our destination, but also to look after everyone on this ship that's of our crew. When the time comes for battle, I need to be able to inspire everyone to fight harder and smarter than they did the last time, and I need to be able to protect everyone to show that I can be a real leader. If I can't lead our crew at its current size, then there's no way I'll ever see my dream of having a bunch of ships under my command."

"So you intend to have a fleet." Dannal said. I nodded, but stopped.

"I don't know about a fleet, not yet at least." I said. "It takes years to get to where I could be that capable to command so many ships at once. Besides that, there's no way to quickly relay orders. Step one is being good enough to lead one crew on one ship, step two is learning to be good enough to command a much larger flagship, and at least one other. Then it's a matter of gathering more until we find a point where every ship's commanding officer can anticipate what's going on, and that I can get orders to and from the other ships so I can tell everyone where we're going and what we're planning." I looked down and they were all staring. "What?"

"When you get serious, it's like, you're a whole different person." Sario said. "Honestly, it's hard to believe it's you." I shrugged as I leaned a little further back.

"Well, don't get used to it." I said, grinning. "I'm only like that when I have to be. Other than that, this is who I am." They all laughed as I sighed. "But, seriously, I've got a long way to go to become a great captain like Pops. Until then, I'm just learning how to be a leader, and hopefully I can manage that." I looked toward my room. "I never believed for a minute I'd get everything I wanted right out of the gate, and I knew that it could be years before I find Captain Ben, but until the day comes when I'm ready, I need to get strong enough so that I can do right by Pops. Until I'd be worthy of sailing a vessel in his fleet, I'm just… The new pirate captain with a new ship and a crew I need to learn how to command and protect."

"Well, as long as you have me, you're alright." Sario said.

"And I'll make sure everyone is fit to serve." Larisa added.

"I will stay in the shadows and hide, to protect you and everyone of the crew." Harold said. "But I shall always be where you need me the most."

"And I will strive to learn what it means to be a truly good and honorable pirate." Dannal said. "This of course would mean you need to lead by example." I nodded with a grin.

"I can't fight like everyone else, but if you ever fall overboard, I'll be ready to save you." Kory said. "You, and Harold, and Dannal, if any of you fall into the sea, I'll make sure you get back to the Silver Wing safely." I raised my flask again.

"To a great journey, with the greatest crew we can put together." I said. "May we find our place in the world, and that place better be big enough for all of us." They raised their skins and agreed together.


End file.
